


Kopa's Legacy: The Coming Storm

by IncarnateFirefly



Series: Kopa's Legacy [1]
Category: The Lion King (1994)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Canon Compliant, Conspiracy, Drama, Family Issues, Family Secrets, Gen, Light Angst, Memory Loss, Moral Ambiguity, Multi, Post-Canon, Redemption, Social Commentary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-15 18:32:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 44,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11236779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IncarnateFirefly/pseuds/IncarnateFirefly
Summary: Set after The Lion King II: Simba's Pride. A war is stirring in the mountains. A fugitive lioness, separated from her pride by a horde of lions marching for Pride Rock, goes on the run with her enemies close behind. She enlists the help of a young lion named Kopa, setting the long-lost prince on a path to warn the Pride Lands and save the family he had forgotten long ago.





	1. Prologue

_Shadows settle on the place that you left_  
_Our minds are troubled by the emptiness._  
_Destroy the middle, it's a waste of time,_  
_From the perfect start to the finish line._

The cool of the evening was finally beginning to settle over the Serengeti after the slow stretch of a relentlessly hot day. The setting sun had slipped behind Mount Tempest some time ago, and the mountain's enormous shadow loomed over Siri in the fading light as she approached her pride's stronghold. The thick grass she waded through was coming to an end just up ahead, and the dirt became cool beneath her paws as she neared the rocky plateau separating the grassland from the mountain range. She had begun to relax at the sight of her home's familiar territory, but Siri reminded herself that she was not done yet. She had been sent ahead of the hunting party to find her pride members and help them with carrying the rest of the party's kills.

Siri was about to step out onto the plateau when a faint scent that she could not place began to irritate her nose. She froze at the edge of the grass, gaze flickering warily across the quiet plateau. That was when she spotted a side entrance into Mount Tempest; or rather, the massive boulder jammed in front of it. The pride had been drilled on sealing the mountain in case of an emergency, but she couldn't recall having one ever since she joined the pride. Everything had been fine when the hunting party left, so if the king, Malka, had given the order recently, then her pride couldn't be far.

She felt a breeze float past her, and she tensed as the scent strengthened to become recognizable. Blood.

Slowly, looking up and down the plateau to make sure no one was within sight, Siri shifted out of the grass with barely a rustle, padding across the rocky surface just as silently. She reached the blocked entrance and examined the way it sat in the trench. It was definitely the work of her pride members. _So if this wasn't an accident, what's going on?_

Her ears pricked at the faint sound of stone scraping against stone, the dull reverberations sending slight tremors through the earth beneath her paws. _Someone is trying to open an entrance._ Crouching as low as she could, Siri prowled around the side of Mount Tempest, making sure to stick close to the rock face. She passed by several other side entrances, all of them blocked off like the first one. She was nearing the main entrance, an overhanging alcove tucked into the "front" of Mount Tempest that could fit an entire score of lions, and had to stifle a cry of shock when she saw them.

Seven of her pride members lay scattered outside the main entrance, their glazed eyes still half-open. Their wounds were clearly inflicted by other lions, but where were their murderers lurking about? And where was the rest of the pride?

"...last of ours have been laid out," came a gravelly voice from inside the overhang. "Janga's paying her respects now."

"How many?" This voice was female, and there was something in her silky voice that sent a shiver down Siri's spine. She peeked around the corner to see a burly tan-furred lion standing outside the main entrance with a lioness, whose sleek grey fur made her almost invisible in the darkness. The male's face was partially hidden by the dark crimson of his overgrowing mane.

"Five," he growled. "She wants to do the same for the ones we killed."

"Not important," the grey-furred female responded coolly. "We need to get the tunnels reopened if we're going to hold out here."

The male made an exasperated noise. "They weren't supposed to close the main entrance to begin with."

"It was part of the plan," she reminded him patiently.

He bristled. "No, being stuck out here wasn't part of _the plan_. We were supposed to be faster."

"Jeraha..."

"Don't," snapped the male, Jeraha. "We could have done better than _this_." He gestured at the great tunnel that was, until recently, the main entrance. It was now piled more than halfway up with rocks, and Siri again recognized her pride's handiwork. From a glance it was obvious that the tunnel wouldn't be reopened anytime soon.

"Well, we didn't," the female retorted. "Now we deal with it. Janga's got everyone opening as many of the side passages as they can. They'll be at it until sunrise."

Something slammed hard into Siri, and the next thing she knew she was pinned against the side of the mountain. She struggled for breath as a paw pressed her throat to the cold stone.

"Don't be ridiculous, Kivuli," came a new female voice next to Siri's ear, as its owner held her in place. "Everyone is tired and the injured haven't been treated yet." The lioness lifted her paw and Siri fell to the ground, gasping. "But this one might save us the trouble."

Siri glared up at the brown-furred lioness, who regarded her unflinchingly through hard orange eyes. Kivuli, the grey-furred female, stepped out from the alcove with Jeraha to stand beside the new lioness.

"Janga," Jeraha greeted his leader. "Do we have a way in?"

"We do now," Janga replied. "It looks like one of Malka's came back." Her attention remained focused upon Siri.

Siri glared up at Janga. "Where's the rest of my pride?" she demanded.

"I was hoping you could tell me," Janga sighed. "But it's been a long day for my lions, so let's stay focused." She stepped back and allowed Siri to stand up. "You're going to open one of the tunnels. It can be a small one."

Jeraha nudged Siri to start walking. She bared her teeth but complied, following her captors closely. "And if I don't, then what? You'll kill me?"

"Oh, I've already decided to kill you," Janga said calmly. "You've heard far too much and I can't have the Pridelanders knowing we're here. But you can help me, and the more quickly we deal with this complication, the less lives need be lost. Do you understand?"

"You-you're going to invade the Pride Lands too?" Siri exclaimed. "Why are you doing this? What do you want with us?"

Janga stopped them at one of the side entrances. "Your pride and their ancestors have built an impressive fortress out of this mountain," she said with a hint of admiration. "Not many lions are so talented."

"You killed a lot of them tonight," Siri growled.

She was taken aback by the genuine misgiving that surfaced in Janga’s orange eyes. It vanished in a heartbeat. “Then I hope they finally understand what their inaction brought upon them. Your pride made their choice.” She turned back to the blocked entrance. “Now, open it.”

Slowly, Siri approached the boulder and climbed top of it with three pairs of eyes on her back. She spotted her hunting party, unaware of the danger, emerging from the grassland just before the mountain's bend. Janga saw them too and moved straight for Siri. "RUN!" Siri yelled as loud as she could.

There was no time to wait for a response as Janga's paw grabbed for her. She propelled herself off the boulder and landed on the plateau, dashing off into the grassland and away from the hunting party as numerous enemy lions appeared at the sound of the commotion. _It's me they're after,_ Siri thought feverishly as she tore through the thick grass. _They won't care if the others get away._ But the sinking feeling in her stomach told her that no one in her pride was safe. Not from Janga and her plans.

•••

Jeraha was the first to react, bounding into the tall grass after Siri with his attack team following swiftly. Janga made no move to join them; Jeraha knew what to do. Instead, she turned her attention to her pride members, who were gathering around the entrance to find out what was going on.

 _We don't have to kill the entire pride,_ she thought as she observed her lions, numbering close to fifty in all. _But the eavesdropper has to die. And she's not the only one either..._

Her gaze settled on Kivuli, who was watching her leader through gleaming silver eyes. It was time to begin the next part of the plan. "Gather your team and find Fujo," Janga told her. "Locate Malka. Kill him before he finds a way to warn the Pride Lands."

 _We are the reckless, w_ _e are the wild youth,_  
_Chasing visions of our futures._  
_One day we'll reveal the truth,_  
_That one will die before he gets there._  
_And if you're still bleeding, you're the lucky ones_  
_'Cause most of our feelings, they are dead and they are gone._  
—Daughter, "Youth"


	2. Kopa

_Love and fear, I cannot be your saviour_  
_There is no violence in your heart._  
_Warriors are both time and patience,_  
_But you and I are worlds apart._  
—CHVRCHES, "Now Is Not the Time"

The midday sun beat down relentlessly upon its inhabitants, without a cloud in the sky to keep it in check. The creatures who did not enjoy the intensity of the day took shelter wherever they could find shade, although in most cases it seemed the heat was simply inescapable.

Far from where Mount Tempest stood, the vast Mirihi Forest cut neatly through the mountain range and extended into the grasslands in one direction; on the other side of the mountains it stretched out into a thinner woodland and ended where the Back Lands' hills met with the borders of the Pride Lands. Deep in the forest, two adult lions trudged underneath its thick canopy, and like everyone else they were searching for ways to get out of the sweltering heat.

The older one, a sturdy male with light orange fur, shook a lock of dishevelled black mane out of his eyes to shoot an irritated look at his companion. "You could give up, you know."

The other male, a gold-furred young adult, grinned in response. "On what, Tumaini?" His mane, usually a medium brown, was heavy with perspiration and looked almost as dark as Tumaini's.

"On whatever you dragged me out here to find," the black-maned lion grumbled. "Mind filling me in on what that is, by the way?"

The younger male shrugged, looking even more amused at his companion's displeasure. Tumaini sighed.

"You have no idea, do you?"

"Not exactly."

"Well, figure it out, as long as it gets us away from wandering around in this miserable heat."

"As opposed to what? Lying around the den in this miserable heat?"

"Very funny. And it's not like I've gotten any peace, you've been moving rocks around all morning."

"I'm almost done," promised the younger lion. He stopped before a worn-out boulder sitting at the top of the riverbank, about as tall as he was. "This should be the last one."

Tumaini raised an eyebrow. "Another rock?"

The gold-furred male examined the boulder briefly before nodding. "Help me push it into the water, pal. I can't do it on my own."

"With pleasure," Tumaini muttered sarcastically. He took position next to the other lion and the two of them pushed hard against the boulder. It didn't so much as budge.

"Keep going," the younger lion gasped, already beginning to feel the effects of the heat sapping his strength.

Tumaini shifted his stance and placed his shoulder against the rock. "This better not be like the time you dropped a beehive into Tanzu's tree," he grunted. "I don't know who was angrier, his chimps or the bees."

"It seemed like a better idea in my head," the younger lion admitted between breaths. "And in my defence, it did get Mapigano out of Tanzu's territory. That leopard probably has more beestings than spots now, and I don't think he wants to come back."

The muffled sound of breaking earth was heard from beneath their paws. A spiderweb of cracks spread from where the boulder met the dirt, and with a mighty push, the two lions tipped it over the riverbank. The boulder rolled rapidly down the slope, end over end, until it hit the water with a thunderous _splash_.

"Okay," panted Tumaini. "Now what?"

The younger lion was watching the boulder as the current carried it down the river. "Now we make sure we don't lose it," he said cheerfully. And without waiting for a response, he dashed down the riverbank and leaped straight for the rushing water.

Tumaini's heart nearly stopped. "Kopa!" he yelled, even as his friend landed safely on top of the drifting boulder. The black-maned lion made a groaning sound that was somewhere between exasperation and relief as Kopa turned and waved to him.

"I'll see you back at the den!" he called.

Tumaini stalked grumpily back into the trees. "Kid and his ideas," he muttered.

•••

Kopa shifted his weight on the boulder as the aggressive current jolted and spun it about in the water. He planted his paws firmly upon the stone, holding it level and keeping alert for the slightest sign that it would tip over. As the boulder turned him facing upstream but held steady, the young lion stared absently off to where the oncoming river disappeared behind the trees.

The Zuberi River had always felt familiar to him. It was the only thing he could remember from before he woke up in the Mirihi Forest; the only thing that proved he had once been part of another life, before Tanzu found him by the side of the river and brought him to Tumaini.

For some reason, Tumaini never seemed to question where Kopa came from. Whenever Kopa brought up the possibility of finding his family, he would see a hardness in his friend's eyes. He remembered seeing it when he first regained consciousness, in pain but alive. Tumaini, then a gangly adolescent, was tending to him. He was silent, but at the time those eyes were filled with tears of rage. Kopa later asked how he got hurt, but Tumaini didn't say anything. He still hadn't, even after years. _He always tells me not to leave the forest. But where would the river take us? If we follow it upstream—_

Kopa was suddenly thrown off the boulder with a cry of surprise as it collided with the side of the riverbank. The momentum sent him flying away from the river and he tumbled into the dirt head over tail. He sat up gingerly to see the boulder heading off with the current; and through the foliage ahead, he spotted the familiar rocky outcrop marking their den just behind the first line of trees.

"Kopa!" came Tumaini's voice from behind him, having finally caught up on paw. "What in the name of—"

"Tumaini, get it!" Kopa shouted.

"What?"

"The rock! It's almost reached the den!"

Resisting the temptation to ask what the rock was for again, Tumaini took off into a sprint and made a beeline for the river. In one nimble leap, he sailed straight for the boulder and grabbed hold with both front paws, swinging it to one side. "I got it!"

Then the boulder rocked back and tipped over him. Tumaini had barely enough time to take a deep breath before the counterbalance flung him mercilessly under the water. He fought the urge to let go as the current pushed him against the front of the boulder, and slowly and painstakingly struggled to pull himself above the surface.

Up ahead, their den was coming into view adjacent to the small channel of water branching off from the river. Tumaini repositioned himself on the boulder so that he was facing the opposite side, and counted briefly in his head before kicking off with as much force as he could muster. The stone rolled to a stop on shore while the black-maned lion attempted a clumsy landing on the small strip of land between the river and the side channel. He overshot it, just slightly, and instinctively thrust out his front paws as he went face-first into the water.

Kopa hurried over to inspect the boulder. Satisfied, he waved to his friend, who had waded onto land and was vigorously shaking water out of his fur. "Thanks, buddy!"

Tumaini was not amused. "Why do I always let him do this to me?" he muttered under his breath.

•••

When Tumaini finally got across the river and made his way back to the outcropping, Kopa was busy arranging two rows of sizable rocks on either side of the den, lining them up until they reached the river's side channel. Tumaini cleared his throat to get his friend's attention. "You're welcome," he grumbled, water dripping down his whiskers.

Kopa snickered. "No, you're welcome."

" _I'm_ —for what?" the black-maned lion demanded indignantly.

"For starters, you're not dying of heat anymore."

Tumaini's eye twitched. "No, but I could have died of something else." He put a paw to his forehead before remembering. "And you! For someone who has a fear of fast water, you don't seem very afraid."

"It's not fun if there's no risk to it," Kopa told him cheekily. "Besides, I wanted to save you the trouble of getting wet. Wanted to."

Tumaini couldn't help but chuckle at that. "I guess that bird has flown the coop," he said. He peered down at Kopa's handiwork, noticing how tightly the rocks sat together. "What is this for?"

"The river flows too fast to bathe in," Kopa said, stepping over to their recently acquired boulder. "And the side channel is too small for us to fit. So if we can't slow the water down..."

"...we move it somewhere else," finished Tumaini. He watched as Kopa rolled the boulder into the side channel, right next to the second row of rocks. The small current immediately began to overflow onto the stony ground, and with the smaller rocks trapping most of it as it spread gently onto land, the collected water flowed directly into the mouth of the den. Grinning victoriously, Kopa led an impressed Tumaini to sit in the den with him, now filling with refreshingly cool water.

"Glad you helped me now?" Kopa asked with a smirk.

Tumaini rolled his eyes but couldn't help smiling too. "Okay, kid. Maybe your ideas aren't so bad." He stared down at his reflection in the water and sighed wistfully. "You would have fit right in where I came from. My pride is good at stuff like this."

Kopa listened silently. It wasn't often that his friend talked about his past. He didn't like to, not most of the time.

"Far down the mountain range, the one that runs through our forest mountains, there is one open route straight through the mountains both ways. So a long time ago, my pride hollowed out dens on the mountain to protect the pass, or so the story goes. Eventually they dug entire passageways in the mountain and turned the dens into water tunnels. Isn't that strange, lions living _inside_ a mountain?" Tumaini chuckled quietly to himself, but there was a faraway look in his eyes.

"I wouldn't know," said Kopa. "I can't remember anything about my pride. If I came from a pride."

"Hmm...what about that lioness?"

"Which lioness?"

"You know, the one you keep seeing in your dreams. Actually, you were pretty descriptive..."

"Oh." Kopa frowned. "I can't put a name to the face. I'm not sure she's real."

The two lions just sat in the pool in silence, preoccupied with their own thoughts. Tumaini was just beginning to relax, when Kopa seemed to realize something. "Oh, no."

Tumaini sighed. _Too good to last._ "What?"

Kopa looked down into the pool rather guiltily. "This is where we sleep."

The black-maned lion contemplated this for a moment. "Well," he said decidedly. "I guess we're sleeping outside tonight. Or, you know, until the water all drains into the ground."

"And until then?"

Tumaini swatted a pawful of water at Kopa, smirking as it struck the younger lion in the face. "Until then, relax and stop worrying about it. We worked this hard to cool off in here, so that's what we're going to do."

•••

 _"Kupatana community,_  
_One day for unity_  
_Gather together in peace,_  
_Our Kupatana community."_

Nala closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, letting the troubles in her mind slip away as Twiga's sweet, clear voice filled the Mizimu Grove. The baobab trees around them were gently shedding their leaves that shimmered in the sunlight as they drifted to the ground. Simba had just finished making his speech and was exchanging pleasantries with Ma Tembo and her herd of elephants. Kiara was showing Kovu around the grove and greeting some of the other animals who had come. The other Pridelanders in attendance were watching the choir as Zazu conducted their performance.

There were a few other lions present who were former Outlanders, although it looked like only a few of them had shown up—and from the way they stood off to the side, watching Kovu wordlessly, it was likely they had only attended to accompany the new prince. It didn't escape her notice that among the absent was Vitani, Kovu's sister. _That's a shame,_ thought Nala, threading her way around the gathered animals and towards Simba. _The Kupatana Celebration has always brought everyone together._

Yet it wasn't as simple as making the former Outlanders feel welcomed in the Pride Lands. What they needed was to be able to believe they were never going to be thrown out again. Simba's acceptance of Kovu as future king had been a big step in the right direction, but it was only the beginning. The trust that had been broken needed to be mended, and it was difficult to say if that were even possible.

Nala smiled at Ma Tembo as she joined Simba. The elephants politely excused themselves and shuffled off. "Quite the gathering, huh?" Simba said. "Looks a lot different from every Kupatana we've had the last few years. Very strange."

"It's been a strange year," the queen remarked. She didn't miss the way Simba looked down. "What is it?"

"I...I had hoped Kion would be back by now."

Nala sighed. Both she and Simba had always known their son was a free spirit, but he had been gone for a long time. "He'll be fine, Simba."

Simba bit his lip. "What if he's not? What if he's out there, hurt? We can't protect him."

"No, we can't," she agreed. "But his friends, the Lion Guard, they can. He's almost an adult, Simba, and his place is with them." She stood facing him and looked him in the eye. "Our son can take care of himself. He's okay, or...or Ono would have flown straight back and told us." Maybe if she could make him believe it, then she would as well.

"I know, Nala," he said wearily. "I just don't want to lose him too. Not like Kopa."

An old, familiar pain pierced Nala's heart at the mention of their first son, whose name she hadn't uttered in years. Not since before Kion was born, and when Kiara was still to young too remember. A reminder of how she had failed as a mother, and how she would never fail again.

 _You are never far from my sight or my protection,_ she had told Kopa once when he was a cub. The queen turned her head away as the tears came unexpectedly.

She felt Simba's familiar touch by her side. "I'm sorry, Nala," he murmured, holding his mate close to him. "I shouldn't have said that."

"No, it-it's fine," Nala said, blinking rapidly. She let out a long breath and managed to hold herself together as she straightened. "Kion will come back to us when he's ready. He's grown up, and trying to figure out who he is."

"Do you think he'll like it?" the king asked suddenly, sounding uncharacteristically vulnerable. "The Outlanders, welcomed back into the Pride Lands. I hope...maybe he..."

Nala understood. Kion had never approved of Simba's law forbidding the Outlanders from entering the Pride Lands. Not after one particular trek a year ago that led him to the habitat he had sent the Outlanders into—lions, dishevelled with their skin barely hanging onto their bones, crawling with termites; cubs, malnourished and weak; the sparse pools of rancid water sitting between the baking sun and the dry, lifeless earth. Kion had been horrified.

The Lion Guard's young leader pleaded with Simba time and time again to offer refuge for the Outlanders who wanted it, but the king would not be swayed. Their conversations gradually became scarce in the following months as the Lion Guard spent more of their time on missions in the Outlands—of what nature, Kion never told anyone. Then, the night before Kiara was to begin her first solo hunt, father and son had a shouting match that ended in Kion taking the Guard and disappearing into the Mirihi Forest. He hadn't been back since.

Seeing her mate so hopeful, so anxious to reconcile with their son brought a smile to Nala's face. "Yes, I think he'll be very happy when he sees them."

"Very surprised too, when he hears about Kiara," Simba chuckled, "with Kovu, of all lions. He'll never see it coming." His expression became serious again. "Kion's a good kid, and his heart's in the right place. It's...the Outlanders—I want them to be part of the pride," he added quickly. "I'm just...not sure if they'll really be happy here. That sounds bad, but—"

"I understand, Simba," Nala reassured him. "I noticed it too. I asked Mateka to...reach out to them. She has a friend in the Outlanders. Vitani."

"That's right..." he murmured, recalling that the two lionesses were cubhood friends. He could feel the familiar guilt wrapping itself around him as he was reminded, yet again, of the demons he had created when he exiled the Outlanders. It had been the anguish, the uncontrollable hatred that had arisen within Simba when he forbade them from returning on pain of death. Kion would never understand the full reasons for exiling Zira and her followers, but he was right regardless. The Outlanders had suffered more than enough.

"Does she still make you nervous?" Nala asked, snapping Simba out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Who?"

"Vitani."

Simba blinked. "I never said she made me nervous."

"You didn't have to," she told him resignedly. "I notice it whenever you see her."

"I..." He trailed off. "I did that to her, Nala. And Zira never took care of her, she was always too focused on Kovu. And when I was ambushed near the Outlands, I saw, up close, what Vitani was prepared to do to survive."

"She feels lost right now," Nala said gently. "Confused, because she knows the Pride Lands are safe for her, she just doesn't know how to let her guard down. But she still has Kovu, and Kiara cares about her very much. Vitani will come around."

"I hope so," Simba murmured to himself. "She deserves to be happy, and now she finally has a chance."

But Nala, who could read her mate better than anyone, knew his mind was far from at ease. She recognized the misgiving in his eyes whenever he looked at Vitani, as if he could still see Zira etched into her features.

•••

Vitani was coming to the end of a long, solitary walk around Pride Rock when she saw the Pridelanders returning from the Kupatana gathering. She immediately turned to walk back the other way, when she saw her brother Kovu near the front of the procession.

He was talking to a young black-maned male whose name Vitani didn't know. She paused and examined his features more closely. She was sure she had never seen him before, but she couldn't help but feel like there was something familiar about him. _Maybe you should go and talk to him._ She made to start walking towards them but stopped mid-step.

Not far behind Kovu was Simba, who was conversing with Kiara. Neither of them had noticed her yet, but upon seeing the king Vitani silently slipped into the crevice beneath Pride Rock. Chest heaving, she listened for any sign that someone was approaching. When none came, she sat down and leaned against the underside of the rock.

It wasn't Simba she was afraid of. But every time she felt ready to finally try and talk to the other Pridelanders, the sight of the king would shoot her defensive instincts into overdrive. She could see it from the way he looked at her, a mixture of suspicion and discomfort. And pain, there was a pain in his eyes that surfaced whenever he saw her, and she was able to recognize it because she also held onto the same pain.

 _Kopa. Mothe—no, Zira,_ Vitani told herself angrily. _Zira killed him._ She remembered walking back to Pride Rock one stormy night along the Zuberi River. A flash of lightning revealed Zira's silhouette standing next to the cliff edge.

_"Mother? Mother! It's raining, why are you out h—"_

_"Hush, Vitani."_

_When she walked a little closer, she recognized the motionless cub lying by Zira's paws. And she realized what Zira had done._

_"Mother, you—that's Kopa! You killed him!"_

_"As if I'd make it that easy. The brat's still breathing, but he won't be for much longer."_

Vitani squeezed her eyes shut as the images flashed in her mind. Kopa's blood trickling from his rain-soaked body and into the grass. The single word Zira had carved into the cub's side with her claws: **UNWORTHY**. And then she picked him up by the throat...

_"Mother, stop! He's my friend!"_

_Zira turned her head to stare coldly at her daughter. "Let me show you what happens when you befriend a traitor."_

_And she dropped Kopa over the cliff edge. His limp form barely made a splash as he tumbled into the raging Zuberi River and did not surface._

_"Now," Zira whispered to her stricken daughter. "We kill Simba."_

Vitani choked back a dry sob. It felt all wrong, being in the Pride Lands now. Kovu told her a few nights ago that they were safe—the first time they had returned to Pride Rock in years. But she didn't feel safe. Feeling safe meant trusting. Trust would make her vulnerable. And after what happened to Kopa, she wouldn't let herself be vulnerable to anyone ever again.

 _Except...him,_ she thought, contemplating the short while she had actually been happy in the Outlands. _But he's not here right now, and...that was a long time ago._

A pretty dark gold lioness, walking up the side of Pride Rock, stopped when she noticed Vitani. "Tani?"

Vitani gave a start. In the Outlands, no one ever used her nickname except her brothers. But in the Pride Lands... "Mateka," she murmured, recognizing her cubhood friend, now a fully grown adult like her.

"I've been looking for you this morning," Mateka said brightly. "Sarabi is assigning hunting parties at Mapema Rock. I'm going with Kiara and her friends, and you should come too!"

"M-me?" Vitani croaked.

"Yeah, you!" Mateka laughed that unmistakable, tinkly laugh she always had as a cub. "Kiara insisted, so you'd better not keep her waiting. Now come on! We can catch up later."

She led the reluctant Vitani out from under the crevice. The two lionesses were making their way away from Pride Rock when Vitani noticed something. "You're limping."

Mateka snorted as she continued her slightly uneven walk. "I had a tussle with one of your friends when you guys charged into the Pride Lands. Madai."

"Ooh," said Vitani, wincing. "Yeah, Madai doesn't pull any punches once she gets go—wait, how do you know her?"

"I've, uh...been getting to know a lot of your friends, actually."

"You have?"

"Yeah. They don't know their way around the Pride Lands but they won't ask anyone for help. So I've been helping them out wherever I can. And I've been trying to encourage them, but they won't talk to the other Pridelanders."

"Yep," Vitani said glumly. "We're not a very cheerful bunch, in case it wasn't obvious."

"Well, I will certainly do something about that." Mateka broke into a run when she spotted Kiara and her friends standing next to Mapema Rock, along with the queen mother, Sarabi. Vitani continued at her usual pace, avoiding eye contact with the other lionesses.

"And this is the last group," said Sarabi. "Everyone here?"

"This is all of us," Kiara confirmed. She brightened. "Hey, Vitani! I told you she'd come!"

"Whatever," muttered her friend Zuri. "What does an Outlander even know about hunting?"

"Zuri..." Mateka sighed.

Vitani twitched in annoyance. "More than you spoiled Pridelanders," she snapped back. "In the Outlands, finding prey almost never happens. So you learn very quickly not to mess it up when it does."

"Oh yeah?" Tiifu raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you show us, then?"

"That's why she's here," Kiara interrupted, stepping in front of Vitani and glaring at her friends pointedly. "We're all ready to go, grandmother. Thanks for everything."

"It was my pleasure, Kiara," Sarabi said with a knowing smile. "Good luck, everyone."


	3. Earthquake

_I want it and I wanted it bad, b_ _ut there were so many red flags_  
_Now another one bites the dust, a_ _nd let's be clear, I trust no one._  
_You did not break me,_  
_I'm still fighting for peace._  
—Sia, "Elastic Heart"

Vitani knew Kiara meant well by inviting her to their hunt, but the princess had a tendency to underestimate those who didn't share her benevolent nature. Which was, most of the time, practically anyone else.

"Are you sure we can trust her?" Zuri whispered to Kiara as they approached the Mbali Fields. "Haven't Outlanders been sneaking into the Pride Lands to hunt for years?"

"You know she can hear you, right?" Mateka pointed out, glancing back at Vitani to see if there was any reaction from her. There wasn't.

"I think this could be a good thing," Tiifu offered brightly. "If we show the Outlanders how things are done in the Pride Lands, then maybe they'll become more civilized."

This time Vitani did respond. "'Civilized'?" she snarled.

"Tiifu, they don't want to be like us," Zuri told her friend haughtily. "The only reason they're living in the Pride Lands is because it's not crawling with termites and disease."

"Okay, I see a few herds up ahead," Kiara interrupted, stopping the conversation where it was. "Let's split up and close in from two sides. Mateka, why don't you take Tiifu and Zuri? I'll go with Vitani and we'll go around."

"But—" started Zuri.

"Sounds great," Mateka said immediately. "Which herd are we going after?"

Kiara observed the various animals scattered throughout the Mbali Fields. Her gaze settled on the zebras. "Muhimu did mention that her herd's becoming overpopulated. The antelope are getting concerned too because they have to share the grass."

As Vitani made her way around the herd with Kiara, she waited until they were out of earshot before asking, "You pick hunts based on population?"

"We _only_ pick hunts based on population," corrected Kiara. "If we let them overpopulate, then there won't be enough food for everyone else. Honestly, Muhimu's herd is probably expecting us soon."

"So the Pridelander prey aren't just friendly with lions, they're actually okay with getting killed by them," Vitani remarked. "Why didn't I ever notice that when I lived here?"

"My parents explained it to me once I was old enough to understand. We only kill for food, and we never target their young. We have a responsibility to protect the Circle of Life."

"Must be nice," Vitani snorted. "In the Outlands, you kill whatever you find. The prey are tough so you have to be willing to fight—injuries are easier to deal with than hunger. And if it's young and begging you to spare its life, you don't hesitate or your pride starves for the next few days. Though I'm sure that must be barbaric to your friends."

"Don't mind Tiifu and Zuri," Kiara said with a sigh. "They mean well but they've never actually been outside the Pride Lands before. You could show them a thing or two on this hunt."

Vitani grunted. "We'll see. Believe it or not, we didn't sneak into the Pride Lands as often as everyone thinks."

Without warning, adrenaline coursed through Vitani's being; but this felt different—her eyes darted around wildly, as if searching for something. Adrenaline would usually attune her senses before a fight and set her mind into a state of aggression—but right now all she wanted to do right now was run. Vitani shook her head to clear her focus, sinking her claws into the dirt to keep herself from fleeing like her mind was screaming at her to do.

Beside her, Kiara was having a similar reaction. The princess' eyes, usually soft and gentle, were dilated with foreboding. And she wasn't the only one either. Out in the field, the herds of zebras and antelope were working themselves into a frenzy as they dashed about in every direction. Then the tremors came.

 _Oh no,_ thought Vitani, fighting her rising panic. Instead, she turned her attention to Kiara, who looked like she was about to succumb to a primal terror. Once she did, there would be no calming her down. "Kiara. Kiara! Look at me!" When Kiara did not react, Vitani back-pawed her across the face. The princess gave a small cry of pain and immediately Vitani felt guilty, but when Kiara shook her head and looked up, her eyes were focused, albeit terrified.

"Sorry," Vitani yelled over the building pandemonium. Up close, she noticed just then that Kiara's red-brown eyes were identical to Kopa's— _Stop. Focus._ Looking around, she saw that all the herds had fled. Beneath a nearby acacia, peering up into the tree, stood Mateka and Zuri.

"Tiifu!" hollered Zuri. "Get down from there!"

Tiifu was quivering up in the acacia, holding onto its branches for dear life. She shook her head frantically, although it could have been the ground shaking. "No way! There's a monster coming out of the earth!"

"No there isn't!" Mateka shouted in frustration. "It's an earthquake, and you don't want to be hiding in a tree!"

A booming _crunch_ emanated from the earth, sending a rapid spiderweb of cracks across the ground. Vitani felt something shift beneath her paws before Kiara stumbled into her, sending both lionesses sprawling to the ground. Vitani steadied herself just in time to see the acacia snap in the commotion, sending it toppling straight towards them. Kiara, still disoriented, hadn't taken notice.

Wondering how many more times she would have to injure the princess before the day was done, Vitani kicked Kiara as hard as she could in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her, but sending her skidding safely away. The tree smashed into the ground where they were lying just a moment ago.

The shaking stopped, withdrawing as the world gradually righted itself again. The dull roar dissipated slowly from the air, leaving a ringing in Vitani's ears as she groaned where she lay. After ungraciously ensuring Kiara's safety, she had barely enough time to roll back and out of the way. She stood up slowly, checking to make sure she wasn't seriously injured before padding around the fallen tree.

Kiara was fortunately conscious, gasping for breath and looking a bit shocked, but otherwise seemed fine. Vitani took the princess by the paw and helped her up rather sheepishly. "You sure you want to be friends with me?"

Kiara laughed at that, before wincing at the throbbing pain in her stomach. "Ow. That was terrifying. You...you saved my life. Thank you."

Vitani pawed uncomfortably at a flower, shredding it of its petals. "Oh, um, don't mention it. I mean, you and Kovu just got together. What kind of sister would I be if I let something happen to his dearly beloved?"

"You're a good sister, Vitani," Kiara told her with that warm, encouraging smile that Kovu would never shut up about. "I'm proud to have you as part of the royal family."

Vitani looked uncomfortable. "I don't... No offence, Kiara, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to be part of another family yet. I'm...still trying to make sense of everything, trying to move forward. And I don't feel like I belong, I feel like I'm just...here."

"You're afraid of opening up," Kiara murmured. There was sadness in her eyes now. "I can see it, Vitani. You opened up to somebody once, and...something happened, right?"

It was Vitani's turn to be startled. The princess was more observant than she let on. But all she said in response was, "Let's go see if your friends are okay." Without waiting for a response, Vitani turned and made her way around the fallen acacia, as Mateka and Zuri cautiously rejoined them.

Tiifu was lying face-down next to the tree. Mateka quickly bent down and pressed a paw against the other lioness' neck. "She has a pulse," Mateka sighed in relief. "Breathing normal. She's just unconscious."

Vitani noticed that one of Tiifu's hindlegs was pinned down by a thick branch. She grabbed it with two front paws. "Hang on. Mateka, get ready to pull her out, once I—" She strained, trying to pull the wooden limb up and off Tiifu's leg. "Hang on, I just need to—" She lost her grip and stumbled back, panting heavily. Looking up once she regained her breath, she noticed Kiara and Mateka staring at her in concern. Vitani avoided their eyes, realizing with painful clarity that despite her ferocity and knack for winning a fight, she actually possessed very little strength compared to the two healthy, well-fed lionesses standing before her.

"Kiara, come over here," she said quietly, eyes glaring at the ground.

"You can't tell the princess what to do," Zuri reminded her.

"Shut up," Vitani growled, a dangerous tone entering her voice.

"Zuri, it's okay," Kiara reassured her friend. "What can I do, Vitani?"

Vitani pointed at the branch that was pressing Tiifu's leg to the ground. "I need you to pull that as far as you can get it, and hold it up."

Kiara nodded, grabbing the branch with two paws. Vitani and Mateka took hold of Tiifu's forelegs as the princess pulled up with all her strength. The wood creaked as it bent, covering the sound of breaking earth as its uneven surface groaned under the weight. Kiara strained with eyes squeezed shut, not noticing the cracks forming in the ground beneath her paws. The branch lifted just enough for Vitani and Mateka to pull Tiifu clear of the tree and set her down on the ground. Kiara slowly eased the branch back down, relieved that everyone in the hunting party was alive, when she felt something give against her weight—

Vitani looked up at the sound of Kiara's cry in time to see the princess disappear into a fissure. "Kiara!" screamed Zuri.

Leaving Mateka to attend to Tiifu, Vitani cautiously approached the chasm. She could feel a cool humidity wafting in the air and could smell moisture. "Zuri," she called. Zuri didn't respond. "Zuri!"

"What?" Zuri snapped. She looked like she was barely holding it together.

"What's down there?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because I'm going in there to find Kiara, so help me out. Please," Vitani added grudgingly.

Zuri sighed. "The Nandembo Caverns. No one's allowed to go in there, because it's really easy to get lost in the tunnels. Even if we find Kiara down there, I don't know the way out."

"I do," said Vitani. "I used to go into these caverns all the time. I can find the shortest way out, once I find Kiara."

"You're going alone?" asked Mateka, peering up in concern.

"Yes," Vitani scowled, daring the other lioness to challenge her. "Mateka, you need to move Tiifu away from here to sturdier ground before you treat her injuries. And Zuri, get to Pride Rock. Tell Simba what's happened and... No. We'd better wait until I've found Kiara. Bring Kovu." She paused, imagining her brother's reaction to the news. _No, he'd be worse than Simba. Where's Kion and his stupid Lion Guard when you need them?_ "Actually, find Queen Nala, then wait for me at the entrance by Zulu Falls."

To her credit, Zuri didn't stop to ask questions. She took off through the broken mess of the Mbali Fields and headed straight for Pride Rock. Vitani prepared to leap into the fissure, hoping Simba and Kovu were too busy dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake to find out about Kiara.

"Hey, Tani?" Mateka called. She waited until Vitani turned to look over her shoulder. "Be careful. We just got you back."

Vitani nodded. Taking a deep breath, she jumped into the chasm, burying her claws into soft, wet dirt to slow her descent into the darkness.

•••

Kopa followed Tumaini in silence as they wound their way through the wreckage of the forest. The younger lion's gaze took in every detail, and he was speechless at the extent of the damage before him. It looked almost unrecognizable; the late afternoon sun shone in places where a number of tall trees stood; now most of them were leaning unsteadily or snapped and strewn around the demolished ground like twigs. Many familiar landmarks had been displaced, or were nowhere to be seen at all. The disturbance had also upset the Zuberi River, causing many low areas of the forest to become flooded. Everywhere they went, they could see animals lamenting their wrecked homes, and some of them were already out gathering materials for repairs.

"How often do earthquakes occur?" Kopa asked.

"No one really knows," said Tumaini. "I've only seen it once before, but I think it can happen at any time. Here." He hurried over to a hare who was trying to clear pieces of rocks and twigs out of a hole in the ground. "Let me do that, Sauti." He reached a paw into the blocked opening and removed all the debris with ease.

The hare stood back and wiped her brow with one paw. "Terribly thoughtful of you, dear Tumaini," she said brightly. Sauti leaped into the hole and reappeared in the blink of an eye with an armful of crude wooden tools. "Just need to fetch some supplies for the old warren. I say, it's going to be a busy evening for everyone, eh?" She dumped the tools into a pile and dove back into the hole to fetch more.

"Well, here, let me carry it for you," Kopa offered, watching as the hare brought out a stack of wooden beams and set them down rather breathlessly. "You'll be making so many trips, you'll wear yourself out before you even start the repairs."

Sauti gave him an indignant look as he picked up the beams between his teeth. "Kopa, you sod, I don't know what you're on about. I may not be in my prime anymore, but I wager I can still outrun you youngsters."

"Of course, Sauti," laughed Tumaini. "Are the leverets all accounted for?"

"Sure as rain. The little ones got a bit frightened, but we made sure to clear out of the warren as soon as we heard it coming. Managed to get the word out to some of the neighbours before it started getting bad."

Sauti quickly collected her supplies and the three of them continued navigating through the upheaval in the forest. Kopa could see a jumble of animals making their way towards the mountains. "Tanzu's got his hands full today," he mumbled around a mouthful of sticks.

"Half the blighters here have never seen an earthquake," Sauti said briskly. "Even the ones that have are bound to have injuries to sort out. So yes, Tanzu is likely swamped at the moment. Not that he'd ever complain; the old fellow works harder than me, and I've got thirty mouths to feed, dontcha know."

The sun was beginning to set by the time they reached the warren. Sauti set her tools down next to the entrance, stepping back as Kopa did the same with the beams. "Thank you kindly, both of you. The buck and leverets are out gathering food since the blasted earthquake crushed our stores, but I'll tell them you dropped by." The hare beckoned to them to lean a little closer, and her voice dropped to a whisper. "Actually, Tanzu's been meaning to talk to you chaps. Won't say why, but he seemed right worried about something."

Tumaini nodded. "We'd better get going then. I doubt he'll have any time to come looking for us. Have a good night, Sauti."

"Same to you both," she replied, patting the two young lions warmly on the shoulders. "You've saved me a long night's work. We'll catch up when this confounded mess is tidied up, wot?"

The chimps' territory wasn't far, as they were now nearing the forest mountains at its far border. When they entered the darkening forest where the trees began to grow closer together, Kopa could hear movement in the trees. And when they neared the crowd of animals gathered around the lone sycamore fig in the clearing ahead, the sound of overlapping voices quickly drowned out everything else.

"...nowhere to sleep tonight, after the water flooded in..." a shrew was saying.

"...big piece of wood sticking out of my brother's back, and he can't be moved..." a duiker explained.

"...it's no good, the trees have blocked the way completely..." bemoaned an elephant.

Standing atop one of the tree's lower limbs was Tanzu, an aging but hardy chimp whom many considered the unofficial elder of their laissez-faire community. He held out his hands for silence, quelling the din that was beginning to build. "One at a time, please," he said firmly. "If you or someone you know have serious injuries, I will get to them beginning with the most urgent. If your homes are damaged, see if anyone is able to help you. If not, try and clear out a place to sleep for the night, and we will do what we can tomorrow. Please!" Tanzu raised his voice over a few protests from the crowd. "Please, do as I say. It is a stressful time for all of us, so we must work together." He broke off when he saw Kopa and Tumaini making their way to the front of the crowd. "My sons will attend to your needs. If everyone could settle down, we will see to doing what we can tonight."

A number of adult chimps, much younger than Tanzu, dropped down from the nearby trees and stood in front of the acacia. The hubbub dispersed as the animals slowly made their way over to Tanzu's sons, leaving Kopa and Tumaini free to speak to the elder as he swung down from the tree.

"Hey, Tanzu," said Tumaini with a respectful bow. "Sauti said you wanted to talk to us?"

Tanzu's face was a mask of relief. "Yes, and I am glad you came to me. Everyone has been in a dither, I have been standing in this tree since the earthquake passed. Anyway, I asked whoever who saw it to keep quiet, or we may start a panic on top of everything else." The chimp lowered his voice even more before continuing. "There is a lion in the forest. Four different animals have spotted it after the earthquake. We do not know what it wants, but it is moving fast. We are giving it some distance, for now."

Kopa and Tumaini exchanged a troubled look. They were the only lions living in the Mirihi Forest, having made an agreement with Tanzu years ago to conduct their hunts in the mountains. On the rare occasion when another predator found the habitat, they would be allowed into the forest under the same condition, or else made to leave if they didn't; more than once an unfriendly predator had to be persuaded by the two lions. But this was the first time they actually had to deal with another lion, and it was then that Kopa noticed Tumaini looking very uncomfortable. "Where was it last seen?" the younger lion asked, slightly distracted.

"The base of the mountains," Tanzu said. "Search near the water. And do not tell anyone where you are going. Let me handle that."

"You got it, Tanzu," Kopa reassured him. "We shouldn't be long."

He headed through the other side of the clearing, followed by an unenthusiastic Tumaini, and they re-entered the thick of the trees and made for the forest mountains. A long silence stretched out between them as Kopa waited for Tumaini to start working out a plan. When he didn't, the younger lion decided to make conversation. "So, a lion, huh? Should be interesting."

His friend didn't respond.

"Tumaini?" Kopa frowned. "Are you okay?"

Tumaini stopped, peering over his shoulder to see if anyone else was nearby. "I haven't seen another lion since the day we found you by the river. That was a long time ago."

Kopa put a paw on the older lion's shoulder, wondering why he would not turn and look at him. "Yeah, me neither, pal. But it's going to be alright, we can handle it. What's wrong?"

Tumaini resumed walking, although his eyes were stubbornly turned forward. He didn't respond for a long time, but Kopa waited patiently. "There are three pride kingdoms in the Serengeti," the black-maned lion finally began. "Viridian Falls, in the plains opposite the grassland. Pride Rock, past the forest leading into the Back Lands. And Mount Tempest, on the far side of the mountain range."

"That's where you came from," Kopa recalled. "But you never told me why you left."

"It's a long story, kid," Tumaini said evasively. "No one needs to know where I'm from."

A spark of realization lit up in the gold-furred lion's eyes. "You're afraid this lion is from your pride. But why? Tumaini, what did you do?"

"I'll explain everything, I promise," Tumaini insisted. "Just trust me."

Kopa gave his friend a long, reading look. "I always do," he murmured.

The two lions prowled through the forest, listening closely for any sounds of movement from their visitor. They were now nearing the pass where the forest snaked through the mountain range and out into the Back Lands; the rushing of the Zuberi River was heard not far off as it echoed through the mountain pass.

"Tumaini," said Kopa thoughtfully. "Have you ever heard a story about a monster living in the ground? And whenever earthquakes happen, it's because the monster is waking up?"

"A monster in the ground?" Tumaini repeated. "Is that a story for scaring cubs? Where'd you hear it from?"

Kopa frowned. "I'm not sure, actually. I think my mother might have told it to me, but...there's no name or face that comes to me. It just...popped into my head, after seeing all this." He peered around the dark forest, as if the answers were hidden somewhere in the disarray. "I'll keep your secret, whatever it is. But I want to talk to this lion and see if I can find out more about where I came from. Because if we're from the same pride...then this could be my chance."

"But, Kopa..." Tumaini began feebly, even though he was drawing a blank on what he could possibly say in response.

"You don't want me to," Kopa surmised. He didn't miss the way his friend looked away. "What are you not telling me, really? Why don't you want me to find out where I came from?"

"Because I'm not letting them near you again!" Tumaini snarled. "Not after what they did to you."

The younger lion blinked. "What are you talking about?"

The older lion's face contorted, as if recalling some terrible pain. "Your injuries," he mumbled slowly. "When Tanzu found you, you were covered in... They weren't all from the river. Someone...a lion..." His voice trembled with rage as the words came out. "It was a lion that did that to you. When you were a cub."

The gold-furred male flinched as the images flashed in his mind's eye. _A storm in the dark of the night; a hungry pair of eyes; a sneering expression. A strong paw holding him down by the throat. A sharp, cutting pain in his side._ Kopa instinctively clutched the spot with one paw, brow knit tight with the sound of a cub's screams echoing in his ears.

Tumaini's eyes were fixed on the scars left on Kopa's abdomen, underneath the fur and the paw pressed against it. "Unworthy. That's what it says, Kopa. Your own family thought you were unworthy, so they ripped you to shreds and tossed you into the Zuberi River. That's why I never wanted you to leave the forest, or try and find your family. I don't know where you came from and I don't care. I was glad you couldn't remember anything so you wouldn't have to know what they put you through. I don't w...you should never feel unworthy, Kopa."

Kopa was silent. So much of his life remained a mystery, but it seemed as if the answers only brought more questions. "My family didn't want me?" he said quietly. "What did I do? Was I a bad son?"

"It doesn't matter," Tumaini growled. "No one should hurt a cub like that."

The two friends lapsed back into silence, both heavy with their own thoughts. Kopa's mind was fervently connecting the dots, lining up Tumaini's words with faint traces from his past memories. There was still a lot more to figure out, but now he was afraid. Not that Tumaini might be right, but that he might be wrong. And even if there was the smallest chance that his family still loved him and wanted him back, then Kopa was going to find them. "I understand," he told his friend. "But I have to find them, and—and if you're right about them, then I'll walk away and never turn back. Either way, I need answers."

The black-maned lion sighed and gave a slow, reluctant nod. "If that's what you want, and we both know I can't stop you if it is," he said resignedly. "Just...be careful, Kopa. Sometimes it's easier not to know the truth. Sometimes...sometimes I wish I could just forget about every stupid thing I've done and start over...like you."

Kopa _tsk tsk_ 'd in mock disapproval. "That'd be quitting, and you, Tumaini, are no quitter."

"I guess I can take credit for that," Tumaini responded dryly. "Look at how long I've had to put up with you."

The younger male laughed. "Let's find this lion."

They headed towards the rocks where the Zuberi River flowed out from between the mountains. Kopa scanned the opposite shore as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the night. His ears pricked up as he caught a faint noise amidst the rhythmic rushing of the rapids. He stopped and turned towards the water, listening closely.

Tumaini looked over his shoulder, noticing that Kopa had fallen behind. "What is it?"

Kopa padded towards the river and peered down over the edge of the outcrop. There, leaning against the rock face next to the water, was the unmistakable form of a lioness, huddled in the darkness. She appeared to be unconscious, but now he recognized the sound of her breathing that he had caught. "There she is. We need to get down there."

Carefully, he slid down the side of the rock face and landed lightly next to the lioness. Tumaini dropped down on the other side and began examining her for injuries. "She looks fine," he said after a moment, "just exhausted. Yep, definitely exhausted. Ran a long way, from the looks of her paws."

Kopa's gaze caught the female's raw, bloody paws. "You think she was caught in the earthquake?"

"Probably. But no one runs this far unless they have a reason...and she just didn't stop, even when she had to..." Tumaini trailed off, now looking troubled. He peered back down at the lioness, whose medium-brown fur was flecked with dirt and bits of grass and leaves. At the moment she looked absolutely drained, yet her unkempt appearance did not detract from her peaceful slumber.

Tumaini almost felt guilty for having to wake her up. "Rise and shine," he chimed, splashing a generous pawful of water onto her face. She sputtered and jerked, and one of her flailing paws nearly took off a few of Tumaini's whiskers. When she finally calmed herself and sat up, she noticed the two lions before her. She remained silent, but Kopa could see some sort of fear in her body language.

Tumaini cleared his throat. "That was rude and I am sorry, but we really don't have much time. May I?" He slowly held out a paw to her. She stared up at him warily before she let him haul her up, wincing as she did. Leaning heavily against him for support, she hobbled away from the rapids and into the still of the forest.

"So, what's your name?" the black-maned lion asked her.

Her vigilant grey eyes studied him closely before she replied. "Siri."

"It's nice to meet you, Siri. My name is Tumaini. And I hope my friend here has the manners to introduce himself."

"I'm Kopa," the younger lion said, scowling at Tumaini. The two males helped Siri ease into a comfortable sitting position in the grass, then backed up as a gesture of peace before sitting down as well.

"So," said Tumaini, as if discussing the time of day. "What happened to you, Siri? What are you doing here?"

Kopa knew his friend's nonchalant demeanour was meant for their visitor's benefit; the tension in Tumaini's shoulders, however, gave him away. Still, he doubted Siri was paying enough attention to notice.

Her eyes suddenly widened as she recalled what happened. "My pride, they're...we've been attacked! Those lions, they said..." She stopped and took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts before continuing. "I don't know what they want, but they took over my home. Everyone in my pride is either dead or on the run."

"A group of lions?" Tumaini asked urgently. "Were they like a pride?"

"No," Siri said with a frown. "They came as if they had a purpose, or a mission. They didn't look like any pride I've ever seen—wait. They said something about making sure the Pridelanders don't know they're here. That's why they're after me. There's...a bunch of lions after me right now, because I overheard their plans. I was able to lose them in the earthquake, but they'll find this forest soon."

The older lion nodded grimly. He turned to Kopa. "You'd better get Tanzu. Bring him here."

Kopa felt a chill run down his spine at the helpless fear he saw in his friend's eyes. Without a word, he got up and quickly disappeared into the forest.


	4. Recall

_In the air the questions hang,_  
_Will we get to do something?_  
_Who we gonna end up being?_  
_How we gonna end up feeling?_  
_What you gonna spend your free life on?_  
—Dan Wilson, "Free Life"  


"You know, we don't know each other very well," grunted Tumaini as he brushed the last of the dirt and foliage off Siri's fur, "but you strike me as a stubborn one."

"I was an orphan before I joined the pride," Siri said. "Surviving is what I'm good at."

"I got that, yeah," he replied, now turning his attention to cleaning her wounds. "How far did you run?"

Siri gave him a pointed look. "Where did I come from, you mean? You might not believe me if you know where it is, but I ran along the East African range, all the way from Mount Tempest. I... _left_ the previous ni—ow!" She broke off when his paw accidentally brushed an open wound on her foreleg.

"Sorry." Tumaini looked away quickly, avoiding her eyes. "That's a lot of distance you covered in one day. I know you're good at surviving, but if it's all the same to you, Kopa and I will handle this while you recover. We have a lot of friends in this forest and we want to make sure they're safe from those lions you mentioned."

Siri looked guilty. "I had no idea, Tumaini. I'm sorry I put you all in danger. I should've thought—"

"You should've thought nothing," he said with a dismissive wave of his paw. "You were running for your life, and now you're stuck with us. This isn't a good time to be beating yourself up." Having finished cleaning Siri's wounds, Tumaini got up and padded towards the trees. "Get some rest while you can, I'll be over here." Tumaini sat down near the treeline, facing away from Siri so she couldn't see him fighting to keep his frantic breathing under control. _I knew something like this would happen. As soon as Tanzu mentioned a lion in the forest..._

He was spared from dwelling on his troubled thoughts when Kopa dashed out from between the trees. Tumaini spotted Tanzu sitting on the younger lion's back as they approached. The old chimp did not look like he was enjoying himself very much.

"Next time, I will take the treetops," Tanzu grumbled, sounding a little nauseous. "Felt as if I was going to fall off the whole time."

Kopa peered over his shoulder to give Tanzu an annoyed look. "Let me get this straight then. You'd rather swing through the treetops, _those_ treetops way up in the air—"

"Kopa," Tumaini cut in sternly, stopping the younger lion mid-sentence. "Thanks for coming, Tanzu. I know this is a bad time."

"Could be about to get worse, from the sound of it," Tanzu said resignedly. He walked over to Siri, eyes crinkling sympathetically at the gashes and abrasions on her paws. He sat down before her, a little stiffly, so they were face-to-face. "Now my dear, start from the beginning."

Siri told them everything, starting with what she had seen at Mount Tempest; the blocked entrances, the bodies of her murdered pride members, and the lions led by the strange lioness, Janga. She began to explain the plan she had overheard, but stopped when she realized that she hadn't found out very much after all. "I can't figure it out," she murmured, "why are they doing this?"

"You will find the answers in due time," Tanzu said calmly. "But let us focus on the first step. Is there anywhere you know of that will keep you safe?"

She nodded. "My pride is heading for their ancestral home at Mount Kilimanjaro. It's on the other end of the East African mountain range, near the Back Lands."

"The Hollow," murmured Tumaini.

Siri turned to look at him with surprise. "You know about it?"

"I—yeah," he admitted. "I've...been around some places."

"You mentioned the Pridelanders," Kopa interrupted, drawing Siri's attention away from his nervous friend. "What does this Janga want with them?"

"I don't know," Siri sighed. "She only said that she didn't want them to find out what she was doing. I think she's planning on attacking Pride Rock, and soon."

"Then we'd better warn them," said Tumaini. "We'll escort you to Mount Kilimanjaro, then Kopa and I will head for the Pride Lands."

"Not with her paws in that state, you're not," Tanzu pointed out. "She needs a few days to heal, and even then she will have to take it slow."

"I can't stay here that long," Siri protested. "You're all in danger as long as I'm here, and I need to find my pride."

"I understand your urgency, Siri," Tanzu said earnestly. "But you have already pushed yourself too far for one day, and if you keep going, you will not be able to help anyone. Please, just stay in the forest for one night. I will get the word out and make sure everyone is on guard."

Siri looked from Tanzu to Kopa before finally settling on Tumaini, who gave her a small nod of reassurance. "Okay," she agreed. "But we leave in the morning."

"As soon as the sun comes up," Tanzu promised. "Kopa, the watch post at the edge of the forest is yours tonight, if you want it."

Kopa nodded. "I'll send word if I see anything. Where's Siri going to be?"

"Far from the borders, preferably close to the river."

"But—" Siri began. Tanzu held up a hand.

"No arguments, my dear. There will be plenty of time to travel in the morning, but for now you must remain hidden."

"I'll take her to our den," said Tumaini. "I know a few shortcuts through the East African mountains if we need to leave in a hurry."

"Go then. I must warn everyone else. Try not to get yourselves killed, you two. And Siri?"

"Yes?" said Siri.

The old chimp's expression softened. "I am sorry about your pride members. This will turn around soon, just wait and see."

"I hope so, Tanzu. Thank you...for everything."

A worried smile appeared on the old chimp's face. "Be safe, child."

•••

Not for the first time in her life, Vitani wondered if she was cursed. It seemed every time she started believing things were finally going to be okay, another catastrophe would come along and throw it all back into jeopardy. Notwithstanding how Kovu would murder her if she didn't do everything she could to find his precious Kiara, Vitani couldn't help but admit that she herself had grown to like the princess.

Everyone had looked surprised when she disobeyed Zira's command to kill Simba—Pridelanders, Outlanders, even Kovu. But not Kiara. The warm, encouraging smile was on her face as soon as Vitani had worked up the courage to stand up to Zira. The princess had somehow seen the good in Vitani, that Vitani couldn't even see in herself. If Zira had really done as she threatened and tried to kill her, she fully believed Kiara would have placed herself between them just like she did for Simba. The world needed more beings like Kiara, and Vitani had no intention of leaving the Nandembo Caverns without her.

Vitani's claws snagged unexpectedly in the dirt, halting her with an unpleasant jolt. She looked down into the darkness, but there was no sign of any end to the emptiness below. She had reached the last layer of dirt, it seemed, and everything beneath it was now solid rock. Wrenching her claws out of the dirt, she peered around the cracked rock face for pawholds. _This is not going to be fun._ Vitani took a slow, deep breath, and let go, dropping alongside the rock before she came to a jarring stop with her front paws gripping a chunk of protruding bedrock; her back paws were firmly planted against the rock face. She vaulted down from one outcropping to another, taking care to avoid the sharp edges.

Zira's training regime had been torment, no question about it, but Vitani learned long ago to appreciate the practicality of the skills she had been taught. Still, she doubted that entailed climbing into a deep chasm. Zira's training was focused on ensuring one's own survival in dangerous situations, and what Vitani was doing right now was the complete opposite of self-preservation. She was buzzing with a sort of perverse glee at the idea of putting herself in the type of danger Zira would have disapproved of. _I am nothing like you, do you see? You couldn't mould me into your soldier. You don't own me._

Vitani spotted an outcropping segment of rock that looked sizable enough to hold her. She jumped onto the crude platform, wincing as she landed; her claws were sore from navigating her way down, but otherwise she was pacing herself well. She took another look into the abyss, but the bottom was still nowhere in sight. There was, however, a second opening branching apart from the first, and Vitani groaned when she realized she had no way of knowing which side Kiara had fallen into. _Nothing for it then, I just have to get down there and look._ Having regained her breath, Vitani leaped back onto the rock face.

The air was cooling noticeably as she descended into the darkness, slowing herself down and waiting for her vision to adjust. The opening into the Nandembo Caverns was not far below, and Vitani could feel the moisture against her paws as her grip on the bedrock became slippery. She dug her claws into the cold, wet surface, gritting her teeth as a horrible screeching noise assaulted her ears alongside the skin-crawling sensation of her claws scratching against rock. But she was close to the bottom now, and Vitani vaulted onto the cavern floor with a nimble swing, shaking her paws a little from the residual heat on her claws.

Vitani quickly confirmed that Kiara wasn't in the cavern, but nonetheless she couldn't be far. The air was thick with condensation, but Vitani focused hard, trying to find the princess' scent somewhere in the moisture. She was quite familiar with it despite having spent little time with Kiara; her scent held an unmistakable resemblance to Kion's...and Kopa's.

 _He used to come into these caves all the time,_ Vitani thought. _Even after we'd get in trouble._ It was strange how much more clear-headed she felt down here, away from Pride Rock where she felt like Simba was having her watched all the time. Down here, her thoughts were calm and collected, and if she wasn't mistaken, the trace of irregularity she had just caught in the air was Kiara's scent.

Vitani dashed into the passageway before her and quickly found herself in another cavern. There was Kiara, lying directly beneath the gaping opening in the stone ceiling. She was stirring feebly on the floor and muttering under her breath with her eyes squeezed shut, but from a quick glance she didn't appear to be badly injured.

"Kiara?" Vitani hurried over and crouched down over the other lioness. "Hey, wake up. We're gonna get out of here."

"Wh...where'd you go..." Kiara slurred.

"I didn't go anywhere," Vitani said patiently. "I came down after you, now come on, wake up." She shook the princess' shoulders.

"...remember you," Kiara mumbled, seemingly oblivious to anything around her. "I...remember..."

"That's great. You can remember me more when we get out of here." She considered giving the princess another back-paw, but decided against it when she saw the scrapes and bruises Kiara had acquired on her way down. Vitani sighed. She was beginning to wonder if she should have asked Mateka to come with her after all. "You just can't make it easy for me, can you Kiara?" she said, leaning down to haul the other lioness up. It looked like she was going to have to drag the princess home.

"Kopa?" Kiara whispered, right next to Vitani's ear.

Vitani jerked back in shock. Her thoughts had been occupied by Kopa ever since she returned to the Pride Lands. She couldn't help it; he was the one thing she remembered most about her life before the Outlands. The unchanged state of his birthplace—and his absence from it—was something she would have to get used to the longer she lived here. And after the events of the afternoon, Vitani was not in the mood for reopening old wounds.

She hauled the groggy Kiara up from under her forelegs, her already tired muscles straining to hold up the other lioness. "Come on, Kiara," Vitani grunted, staggering forward a few steps with some difficulty. "Your parents have probably cleaned up half the Pride Lands by now. They're going to want to see at least one of their kids safe and sound tonight."

•••

"It's not much," Tumaini said, a bit self-consciously, as he led Siri into the den. "But at least it's still standing after the earthquake, right?"

Siri ducked her head as she stepped under the overhanging rock and into the den. "You won't hear me complaining," she replied gratefully. "I don't think I could have walked much further."

"All the more reason to get some rest," he said with a reassuring smile. "Get some sleep, I'll keep watch."

"I don't think I can," she sighed. "My pride is still on the run, and Janga is hunting them down as we speak. I don't know how we can stop her, and stop...all this."

"We'll think of something," he assured her. "But you're not going to figure it out right now unless you get some _sleep_."

Siri cast her tired gaze at him. "Do you fuss this much with Kopa when he doesn't do as you say?"

Tumaini's face turned red. "I—what do you mean—I _am not_ —"

She laughed at his bashfulness. "It's okay, Tumaini, I appreciate your concern." Her expression became serious. "I just can't stop thinking about it, you know? Their bodies were just laid there, right by the main entrance. What if the others don't make it to the Hollow? What if they do, and Janga finds them anyway?"

"Then they'll do what's necessary. If this Janga's as serious as you make her sound, I don't think running and hiding is going to be an option anyway. Once we get you to the Hollow, you need to convince M—convince your king to take action."

"While you and Kopa head for Pride Rock, I know." Siri paused. She scrutinized Tumaini more closely, trying to get a read on him. "So, what's your stake in all this? Admirable as it is that you're doing this, it's not just helping me, or protecting the other creatures in the forest...why do _you_ want to do something about these lions?"

Tumaini shrugged. "It's the right thing to do."

"That's a very short answer for a decision that puts you in this much danger."

"Maybe I don't like to see lions terrorizing other lions," he said defensively, avoiding eye contact. "Does it really matter?"

Siri moved closer so she was almost nose-to-nose with him. "Right now, there are fifty lions sitting outside my pride's home. They don't look happy, they're very good at what they do, and I haven't the faintest idea who they are or what they want. So if you want me to trust you, Tumaini, then yes, it matters very much."

A distant look passed over his face. "Call it a personal debt I want to settle," he said quietly. "A service to make up for some of my past mistakes."

"A debt? To who?"

Tumaini turned his back to her and got up to leave the den. "Go to sleep, Siri."

Siri opened her mouth to protest, but he had already stepped outside. She clearly wasn't going to get anything else out of him, and he was right, she really did need to rest. Sighing, she laid her head down in her paws and closed her eyes.

•••

Vitani had managed to haul Kiara across an entire cavern, and was halfway through the second one when she finally gave up and collapsed onto the floor with her burden. After regaining enough stamina to stand and deciding that it would be better to wait for the princess to wake up, she propped Kiara up against a nearby wall and waited.

The day's events were beginning to take a toll on Vitani as the last of her adrenaline faded away. It had to be well into the night now, but she had a feeling that Simba wouldn't let a single pride member sleep until his daughter was found.

 _Speaking of which,_ thought Vitani, peering up from her drooping eyelids to see Kiara sitting up with a sudden gasp. _Maybe we'll see Pride Rock before the sun comes up after all._

"Careful," Vitani called. "You bump your head against solid rock again, you'll be in a world of pain. And I think you've had your fill for one day."

The princess was shivering. "Y-you came after me..."

"Yeah, I don't trust any of your friends to do it," Vitani replied, standing up. "I tried hauling you out of here myself, but as you can see that's not really working."

"You know the way out?" Kiara asked, a note of relief entering her voice.

Vitani nodded. "Yeah, I recognize where we are. I wasn't a good kid like you, I used to come down here all the time. We'll be out of here soon, if you can walk."

Slowly, the princess straightened and placed her paws, a little shakily, on the ground. "As long as we can go slow. Lead the way."

As the two of them wound through the Nandembo Caverns, Vitani noticed that the stone ceiling was split with long cracks, or opened up like the fissure Kiara had fallen into. Something she would have to bring up to the king and queen once they got out of here, but in the meantime Vitani doubted Kiara was in the right state of mind to notice it.

The princess definitely looked like something was bothering her. But it didn't seem to have anything to do with their surroundings. "Vitani?"

"Hmm?"

"You were born during Scar's reign, right? Before my father took back the Pride Lands?"

"Yeah."

"You lived in the Pride Lands when I was born?"

Vitani nodded, wondering where this was going.

Kiara paused before continuing, choosing her words very carefully. "So you...knew a lot of the cubs born during my father's reign?"

Vitani scowled. "No, I was very anti-social at the time. Still am."

"Oh," said Kiara. "I keep thinking about a name, and I'm sure I've never heard it before..."

"Then do yourself a favour and leave the crazy to me," Vitani snorted. "You hit your head too hard and now it's playing tricks on you."

"Maybe," the princess said, not looking convinced. "It's just...I think I saw..."

"Kiara," Vitani interrupted, now with an edge to her voice. "No offence, but we've both had a literal mess of a day. I'm still running on what I ate this morning, and if someone walked up to us right now and had to guess which one of us came from the Outlands, they'd pick you because you look like you've been dragged from one end to the other and back again. This is not the right time to be having this conversation."

Kiara's ears drooped. "I'm sorry, Vitani. You put yourself in danger to help me, and I'm just bothering you with pointless questions. I just thought... _Kopa_. Why does his name come to me so easily but I can't remember who he is, or what he looks like? Sorry, I'm doing it again. I'll stop."

Silence fell between them, for which Vitani was glad. She knew Kiara had been too young to remember Kopa when she was born, but she hadn't realized the princess had been completely kept in the dark about him. _Just like Kion._ But Kiara was the older sibling and the heir to the throne, and she had been born before Kopa's death. _Have the Pridelanders held their silence for that long?  
_

They continued on for a while longer, until Kiara timidly broke the silence. "Can I ask you a question about yourself, Vitani?"

"Go ahead. Can't promise you'll like the answers though."

"Are you...are you happy Zira's dead?"

Vitani narrowed her eyes. "Yes," she replied, her tone making it clear she did not want to discuss this.

"She was within my reach," Kiara murmured. "I begged her to take my paw, and still she let go."

"Good," growled Vitani. "She lost everyone in the end, and she got what she deserved. If it had been up to me, I would've put her in the river myself."

"I don't believe that," the princess said firmly. "You're not like her, Vitani. You wouldn't hurt someone you care about to get what you want."

"How do you know I haven't?"

Kiara paused. "I guess I don't. But you wouldn't have come down here to find me if you didn't want to. You didn't have to save my life during the earthquake."

"You're overthinking this. You were in trouble, so I did something about it. I'm not here to play hero."

"I know, Vitani. That's what I admire about you."

Vitani was quite taken aback by this response. She could count every compliment she had received in her life on one paw, and most definitely never considered herself a role model in any sense of the term. But there was something about Kiara that never failed to bring out the best in those around her. In that moment, Vitani wondered if she could see a glimpse of the Pride Lands' future in Kiara. Of a kingdom free from war.

The overbearing humidity of the cavern was permeated by a breeze of cool, clean night air. Up ahead, the sound of rushing water could be heard. "Oh, thank the Great Kings," Kiara moaned. "I can't wait to get home and just _sleep_."

"Me too," Vitani agreed. It surprised her how much she meant it.


	5. Intruders In the Forest

_If I could face them, if I could make amends with all my shadows,_  
_I'd bow my head and welcome them._  
_But I feel it burning, like when the winter wind stops my breathing,_  
_Are you really going to love me when I'm gone?_  
_I fear you won't...I fear you don't._  
—Of Monsters and Men, "I of the Storm"  


Kopa didn't spend a lot of nights alone. When Tumaini initially took him in, he had refused to let the cub wander out of his sight for long. Kopa had spent a long time trying to make sense of his fragmented memories; the only thing he understood was terror. He hadn't felt safe around anyone at first, not even Tumaini. Yet his friend had never given up on him, despite how much of a pawful he must have been. And until now, Kopa couldn't figure out why Tumaini was always so overprotective.

 _He thinks my own parents hurt me. What if he's right about them?_ From where he sat perched atop of a fallen log, Kopa gazed out through the treeline and into the darkness of the grassland beyond. If he had to admit it, the thought of finding his family scared him. He had no idea what to expect, or if they were out there at all. But just searching for them, travelling outside the forest with Tumaini by his side—that he could do. He would figure out the rest in time.

A sudden movement outside the forest caught Kopa's eye. He instinctively crouched down lower onto the log as a several large forms appeared out of the tall grass. They were moving silently, with a precision that suggested they were well-organized. As they made for the forest, his suspicions were confirmed as he recognized their forms as lions, six in total. Kopa fought to steady his pounding heartbeat, and in that moment he recalled something Tumaini once told him. _Sometimes you'll be faced with a situation you can't run away from. It's okay to be afraid. And it's okay if you don't know how to solve every problem._

Kopa took deep breaths and kept his eyes fixed on the approaching lions. He stood up on the thick log, and immediately the newcomers' heads turned his way. _Examine the situation. Ask yourself what the right thing to do is, and then do it._ He waited until they made their way through the treeline before addressing them. "We weren't expecting visitors this late in the night," Kopa said, making sure to speak clearly. _Remember, you're never alone in this forest. Let yourself be heard and your friends will come to your aid if you need it._

One of the lions paused. It was the muscular, towering male standing at the head of the formation. He fit Siri's description of Jeraha, Janga's attack lion. "You appear to be alone," he remarked in a slow, deep drawl.

Kopa swallowed. _Stand tall. Be civil but remain firm._ He composed himself before speaking again. "What brings you here?"

"None of your business," Jeraha growled. He raised a paw and waved his team forward, and the lions began making their way into the forest.

Kopa hopped down from the log and onto the path, stopping the lions from taking another step. "This forest belongs to prey animals," he told them, pushing his paws hard into the dirt to stop them from trembling. "Any predator who enters must respect the balance. So if you intend on hurting my friends, then it is my business."

Jeraha huffed in irritation. "I'm not here for your bleeding-heart friends, kid. Move, and we'll be gone before sunrise."

"Not until you tell me why you're here," Kopa responded stubbornly. The big male's gaze locked with his, and Kopa could sense the other lions' displeasure. _Don't falter. Don't push it on someone else. Don't say it's not fair and then give up. Nothing is fair unless you make it so._

"I'm looking for a wanted lion," Jeraha said finally. "A female, she was heading this way. Like I said, I'll leave once we search the forest. You and your friends have nothing to be afraid of...if you have nothing to hide."

 _And whatever you do, don't be stupid. Pick your battles, and if you've done all you can, walk away. There's no shame in it._ "Fine," Kopa agreed, surprised by how steadily his voice held. "But I'll be close by. No harm is to come to any creature in the forest."

"You have my word," Jeraha replied with a mocking grin. He growled at his team to proceed, and Kopa stepped aside to let them pass, his expression rigid.

Jeraha stopped before Kopa, and they studied one another for a moment. Kopa held his gaze until the larger male scoffed and continued on. The young lion waited until they disappeared into the forest before turning to the tree next to him. He tapped its trunk with one paw.

A bat dropped down, hovering in front of Kopa's face. "As if I wasn't nervous enough with all these lions prowling around," she grumbled resentfully. "What do you want, Kopa?"

 _Finally, stay two steps ahead. Be prepared for every outcome._ "Get to my den, Jioni," he instructed. "Tell Tumaini they're here. I'll join him before we head through the pass. For now...I'm going to try and slow them down."

•••

As Vitani emerged from the Nandembo Caverns with a limping Kiara, she was half-expecting to see the entire pride with a frantic Simba at the forefront. To her surprise, she saw only Zuri outside, waiting next to the falls with Nala. The worried expression the queen wore disappeared as soon as she saw them. "Kiara!"

Vitani stepped aside as Nala hurried forward and embraced her daughter. Kiara sleepily returned the embrace. "Hi, mom. Is Tiifu okay?"

"Oh, she's fine," said Nala, relieved that Kiara wasn't badly hurt. "Your father wasn't there when Mateka brought her back to Pride Rock. But he's probably wondering where you are by now. Zuri?"

Zuri straightened immediately. "Yes, Your Highness?"

"Tell the king that Kiara's safe. We won't be long."

"Of course, milady." Zuri hurried off into the darkness. The sound of her pawsteps was quickly swallowed up by the waterfall's roar.

Nala sighed. "That young lioness takes royal status way too seriously."

"Tell me about it," Kiara muttered.

Vitani was surprised by Nala's sudden lack of formality. As a cub, she had only observed the queen from a distance, and all she heard about her was from Zira's contemptuous rants about how the lot of them were usurpers and tyrants. The only thing she knew otherwise was Nala was undeniably a ferocious fighter, something Vitani had figured out very quickly when Zira attacked the Pride Lands in Kion's absence. And yet right now Vitani felt more comfortable in Nala's presence than she ever had with Simba—or Zira.

Vitani was taken aback when Nala reached over and nudged their foreheads together. It was a strange feeling—Zira having never shown her any sort of affection—and yet it was reassuringly familiar. Still, Vitani wasn't sure what to say or do, so she stood there awkwardly until the queen stepped back.

"Thank you, Vitani," Nala said earnestly. "Mateka told me everything. What you did was very selfless."

"I..." Vitani trailed off, looking over Nala's shoulder to Kiara. The princess gestured for her to continue. "It was my honour, Your Highness. It was the least I could do since Kiara invited me to hunt with her."

Kiara shivered as a cold wind blew past them and into the tunnels at the base of the waterfall. Nala inclined her head, and Vitani followed her and Kiara away from the cliffs. "Well, you certainly have a knack for knowing when to keep Simba out of the loop," the queen chuckled as they crossed the grove and headed for the open plain upon which Pride Rock sat. "He's all heart, but sometimes he helps more by not helping."

"You didn't tell my dad?" Kiara asked, looking relieved.

"Well...no," Vitani replied, a little uncertainly. "Didn't tell Kovu either, he'd freak out if he heard."

"That he would," the princess giggled.

"Vitani, I think we're going to get along just fine," said Nala brightly. "And no more of the 'Your Highness' from you, okay? We're family now, call me Nala."

Kiara looked a little concerned at the mention of family again, but Vitani just rolled her eyes and with an uncharacteristic lightness, replied, "You got it, Nala."

After leaving the grove heading away from the river and re-entering the heart of the Pride Lands, Pride Rock's colossal silhouette could finally be seen looming in the distance. As they approached, Vitani could hear Zazu calling to Simba, undoubtedly to inform him of their return. And sure enough, the king appeared a moment later from atop Pride Rock. As Vitani and Nala helped Kiara up the side, Simba rushed over to inspect his daughter. "Kiara, thank goodness! I heard you fell somewhere, but no one explained anything, and—" He stopped. "You're hurt!"

"I'm alright, daddy," Kiara told him, honeying the last word in that way that never failed to calm him down. "Is Kovu here?"

"He hasn't come back yet," said Simba. "Tama says he was still trying to regroup the elephants when she was on her way back. I sent Zuri to fetch him. Anyway, you need rest, and I'll make arrangements for—"

"I'll take it from here, Your Majesty," Mateka interrupted hastily, appearing from the den and half-dragging Kiara away from her father. "I'll let you know when she's rested enough for visitors."

"Wait!" Kiara stopped and turned back to Vitani. "I know I've been saying it all night, but thank you, Vitani...really."

"Okay, kid, now you're embarrassing me," Vitani said gruffly. "I'd better not wake up tomorrow and find out you've spent the whole night telling everyone what happened." She shot the princess a quick, spunky smile.

Kiara returned the smile and followed Mateka into the den. Simba raised an eyebrow and turned to Vitani. "Is there something I should know?"

Nala stepped forward. "Kiara fell through a fissure. She ended up in the Nandembo Caverns, and Vitani," The queen then nodded towards Vitani, "went down after her, and she brought her out."

"Well, I'm glad you're both alright," Simba said to Vitani, his voice warming. "You certainly aren't short on courage, Vitani."

Vitani chewed her lip. "Yeah, I guess you could say that." She made to turn around when the king placed his paws on her shoulders.

"Wait!" Simba said quickly. "I should tell you, I...I trust you, Vitani. You saved Kiara's life. And you were the first one to stand up to Zira. I haven't forgotten that."

Vitani didn't turn her head back to look at him. Her expression was downcast and she shook her head slowly. "It doesn't matter. I was too late."

"No, you weren't," he insisted. "If there was a right time for you to turn yourself around, that was it. You took it, and the others didn't follow Zira. They followed you."

"I should have left her the day she did it," she whispered. "But I was too scared."

"None of that's your fault," Nala began, but Vitani shook her head more vigorously.

"Kiara will have questions when she wakes up," she told them. "She said his name. She remembers him."

Neither the king or queen understood at first. And then Simba's eyes widened with comprehension.

"You never told her," Vitani murmured, her voice numb. "You never told either of them the real reason."

Nala sighed, her ears drooping with a sudden weariness. "We will, Vitani. We'll tell her everything tomorrow. I promise."

"Nala..." Simba began.

But the queen was adamant. "She deserves to know, Simba. And if she really does remember, it would be better...for everyone." Her gaze lingered on Vitani as she spoke.

Simba still looked as if he had his doubts, but closed his eyes with a slow nod. When he reopened them, there was a conceding, albeit sad smile on his face. "I guess the day had to come sooner or later. So if that's what you want, Vitani, then you have my word too. More importantly, you have my profound gratitude for saving my daughter's life."

Before Vitani could even process what Simba had said, she spotted Kovu running up the side of Pride Rock with Zuri behind him, barely able to keep up. Vitani decided to intercept her brother before he barged into the den and woke everyone. "Thank you," she said to Simba. "I'm...here if you need my services." She bid the king and queen goodnight and stepped in front of Kovu just before he reached the top. "Slow down, knucklehead, she's fine. You should probably let her get some sleep."

Simba spoke before Kovu could open his mouth. "It's alright, he can go in. She'll want to see him."

Vitani was wondering if she had heard right as the dark-furred male bolted past her. He had vanished into the den by the time she turned around. "Let me guess," she said to the breathless Zuri, "he headed straight back as soon as you told him she was hurt."

"How'd you guess?" grumbled the other lioness. "Your brother only has eyes for Kiara, even if every lioness in the Pride Lands has the hots for him. Oh well, at least he cares."

Vitani blinked. "They do?"

"Haven't you been paying any attention?" Zuri snickered. "When they go hunting, all the lionesses talk about is the handsome lion that courted the princess. He's off-limits, of course, but there's no law against _talking_ about him."

Vitani sighed. It looked like living in the Pride Lands was not going to be as normal as she'd hoped after all.

•••

Siri was awakened by a paw shaking her shoulder urgently. She opened her eyes to see Tumaini crouched next to her, trying to pull her up onto her paws. "Time to go, Siri. They're here."

She felt her blood run cold as she gingerly stood up. "Jeraha?"

"Big lion leading five, yeah," Tumaini affirmed, leading her out of the den. "How's the paw?"

She examined her front right paw, which had been bloodied after a desperate scrabble during the earthquake. She was lucky to have avoided serious injury, but she was by no means ready to move on her own yet. "I don't think I can put weight on my right side," she admitted. "But it's okay, I'll just tough it out."

"No can do," he replied. "That paw isn't even close to healing properly. Disregarding the blood trail you'd be leaving for our new friends to follow, I still think you should hold off on that paw if you ever want to use it properly again."

"Well, it's not like I have much of a choice, is it?" Siri pointed out exasperatedly. She slowly lowered her injured paw towards the ground, but pulled it away immediately with a pained gasp.

"Okay, I've seen enough," said Tumaini, hurrying over to her side. "Put your weight on me."

Slowly, carefully, she leaned over and pressed her shoulder against his. He held up her injured paw with his own, and silently gestured for her to begin walking. He timed his steps to match hers, careful to plant his weight firmly so that they wouldn't topple over. They made their way through the forest steadily, hobbling for the distant mountain pass at its divide.

Siri was surprised by how peaceful her surroundings were; she had expected to find the forest unnerving in the dead of the night, but there was a serenity to its stillness. She had once been to the Mirihi Forest on the far side of the mountains, but that hadn't been nearly as dense as where she was now. Even though she was tired, injured, and running for her life, she couldn't help but like it here.

 _Can't complain about the company either,_ she thought with a glance at Tumaini. She had been hoping to run into some of her pride members, but regardless she was lucky Tumaini and Kopa had found her. _I sure brought a lot of trouble to them, but maybe Malka can offer them protection..._ She remembered the day she lost her parents to a flash flood; she had been an adolescent then, wandering alone through the grassland until she found Mount Tempest.

She had been hungry and weak, and Fujo, the king's brother, took care of her. He explained to her that the queen had died recently from illness, and that the king, Malka, had become reclusive. And it hadn't been for many days after she came to Mount Tempest before Malka himself came to see her. He was of formidable stature, but it was clear that he was _lost_ with himself. But he did promise her she would always have a home at Mount Tempest.

 _I'm not so sure about that now,_ Siri thought, clenching her teeth with each step she took. But at least she wasn't on her own this time. _What's the story with these two? Tumaini doesn't want to talk about it, and Kopa...there's definitely something unusual about him. I'm just not sure what._

Their awkward skip-hobble was brought to a halt when a grey-brown form leaped in front of them. "Evening, chaps."

"Sauti!" said Tumaini. "I already got Jioni's message, you should get home before these lions see you—"

She cut him off with one raised paw. "Me first, Tumaini old lad, I insist. You don't want to go that way. The big nasty-looking fellow has split up his team, and two of the blighters are headed this way. I've got another route you two can take, follow me!"

The savanna hare led them off the path alongside the river and into the thick of the forest. They moved as quickly as they could, but it was difficult for the two lions to navigate the unwieldy terrain as easily as Sauti could. Finally, she stopped them where the ground was split open into a jagged, endless trench. It was wide enough to navigate and deep enough to be hidden from sight.

"This was one of me favourite tunnels," Sauti said wistfully. "Till the bloody earthquake cracked it open. Oh well, least it can still be useful fer something. Follow it to the end, you'll be right at the mountain pass."

"You're amazing," Tumaini told the hare. "Now get back to the buck and leverets, you've put yourself in enough danger tonight." He helped Siri lower herself carefully into the trench before moving to follow, when he heard something move close by. He turned just in time to see a tawny-furred lion standing behind Sauti, and with one swipe, the newcomer brought his paw down on her back.

•••

Sauti gasped as the lion's claws burst forward through her chest and abdomen. Dark blood stained her fur as she was hefted off the ground and thrown aside. She tumbled into the grass and was still.

Tumaini bound forward, sinking his claws into the assailant's rib cage. The other lion opened his mouth to roar in pain, but a paw to the face knocked him out before he could make a sound. Tumaini flinched as his opponent dropped to the ground with a hefty _thump_.

"Husuda?" called an unfamiliar voice, most likely the other lion. "What was that?"

Tumaini wiped the blood off his claws and dove into the trench, nudging Siri forward as they dashed away. He fought to steady his breathing, trying to get the image of blood spreading across Sauti's limp form out of his head. _They've found her, they know she's here. They're going to kill anyone who tries to stop them._

 _We have to leave. As long as she's here, they're all in danger._ Tumaini steeled himself and picked up the pace. He was pleased when Siri was able to keep up, their pawsteps almost silent in the moist earth.

He hoped Kopa would be waiting when they reached the mountain pass. If he wasn't, Tumaini wasn't sure they could wait for him.

•••

Jeraha hadn't expected to come across a lion guarding the forest, but quickly surmised that this one was not part of a pride. The scent of lion was scarce here, but he was certain he was on the right trail. _That lioness is here. The prey here may not be aware of her...or perhaps they're hiding her._

"Saka, take those two and search that way," he commanded the lioness beside him. She nodded and led the indicated lions off in another direction. He had already sent the other two to follow the river earlier, leaving himself all alone.

"You're splitting them up," Kopa said uncertainly as he caught up.

"Speeds up our search," Jeraha replied shortly. "Is that a problem?"

"No, it's just...I'd better take you to my elder first. No one knows why you're here, so if you explain—"

"You should go do that then, instead of following me." Jeraha cut him off. "I told you, I'm not here for prey."

"There are animals sleeping nearby," Kopa argued. "We need to move more quietly."

"You didn't seem concerned when we spoke earlier."

"That was at the edge of the forest. We're being too loud, so why don't you tell your lions to—"

"Slow down?" Jeraha regarded the younger lion impatiently. "That's what you want, isn't it?"

Kopa's expression hardened. "Your presence makes everyone nervous. No one knows what's going on. You can't see them, but they're watching you. This forest is a place of peace, and from the look of things, your hunt for this lioness threatens to disrupt it. So what I _want_ is to protect that peace."

The larger lion narrowed his eyes. "What we seek to accomplish is more important than anything, even your _peace_ ," he told him darkly. "So if I find out you've been helping our enemies—"

"I don't know who your enemies are, because I don't know who you are!" Kopa retorted.

Jeraha grimaced. "Then you'd better stay put, here in your peaceful little forest. Because the moment you leave, you'll have to take a side, if you haven't already."

Kopa was about to say something when he paused. So did Jeraha, because they could both smell it in the air. Blood. It was faint, and definitely did not belong to a lion. Wordlessly, Kopa dashed off, following the scent through the forest.

Jeraha followed, listening for the sound of Kopa somewhere in the trees. He could hear him easily, and it was as he spotted the younger lion that he noticed how quiet the forest had become. Even in the dead of the night, silence hung over the air.

Kopa was kneeling by a long, wide trench running across the ground. Laying before him was a dead savanna hare; her paws were folded over her chest and her eyes were closed.

"You told me you weren't going to hurt anyone," said Kopa without looking up. His voice was trembling with rage.

Jeraha didn't respond. He was inspecting the trench next to Sauti's body. His eyes quickly found the pawprints in the dirt. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Saka and the two lions with her emerge from the trees. "She's on the move," he growled.

"She wasn't alone," Saka added. "There's another lion with her. He took down Husuda and ran. Kasi's with him, she says they were here not long ago."

"Follow the trench," Jeraha ordered. "Kill her as soon as you see her, and if anyone tries to stop you...kill them too."

"You can't do this!" Kopa shouted, standing up furiously.

The larger male turned and fixed him a cold glare. "I warned you what would happen if you interfered, and now your friend is dead. If you want to spare the rest, then you'll be wise to let us take the lioness. If that's a problem..." Jeraha laughed a low, mocking laugh. "...you can always try and stop us yourself."

Kopa tensed. Still staring the other lion in the face, his mind screamed at his body to take action, to attack Jeraha and stop him then and there. The larger male's eyes flashed with anticipation, daring him to make the move. Kopa ears filled with the pounding of his furious heartbeat, but his rational side pointed out the other three lions that were with Jeraha. He wouldn't stand a chance.

Jeraha snorted when he saw the fire leave Kopa's eyes, and he led his team into the forest. They didn't even spare him another glance as they dashed away along the trench, leaving the young lion to stand helplessly beside Sauti's bloodied form.

•••

Tumaini could feel Siri slowing down as their haphazard run through the trench became more difficult. The ground was uneven, and more than once they had to squeeze through parts of the trench in single formation. Sometimes one of their paws would sink into a loose pocket of dirt and throw them both off-balance. But they were almost there, and he was eager to reach the mountain pass and lose their pursuers. He was certain Jeraha had found their escape route by now.

"Is that it, up there?" Siri gasped between breaths, indicating where the trench came to an end up ahead. Tumaini's heart sank when he saw it.

"That's not good," he said as they got closer. The trench was completely blocked by gigantic pieces of collapsed earth. Sauti's tunnel was intact on the other side, winding back beneath the ground in a single passageway too small for a lion to fit through. "Okay, new plan. We need to get out of this trench." He leaned against the wall and held his front paws together, facing up. "You first."

Taking care not to put pressure on her injured paw, Siri let Tumaini help her up, clumsily pulling herself out of the trench with three paws. As he struggled to pull himself up after her, she held out her paw. "I'm sorry about your friend," she said softly.

He took her paw and climbed out of the trench, his expression stony. "It wasn't your fault."

"I didn't say it was," Siri said, her demeanour tight with pain and exhaustion. "But that doesn't change what happened, does it?"

"We can talk about what happened later," Tumaini said firmly. "Now let's get out of here. We've nearly reached the—" He broke off as Siri tensed, a growl rising in her throat. Her eyes were directed over his shoulder.

Tumaini turned around and saw them. There was the lion who killed Sauti, his torso now running crimson; there was a lioness beside him. Then three more appeared from another side, and now they stood between them and the mountain pass ahead. The only way they could go was back, but Tumaini was just beginning to wonder where Jeraha was when he heard the burly lion's heavy pawsteps behind him.

"That's far enough," said Jeraha as his quarry turned to face him. "Stand and fight if you want, but this is where you die."

Tumaini placed himself in front of Siri. "You're not killing anyone else in my forest," he snarled.

Jeraha scoffed. "I don't think you get it. You're both going to die. Here. Now." He signalled to his team to attack, and they closed in on the two lions from all sides.

Siri braced herself, baring her teeth as the big lion moved straight for her. "Come and get me."


	6. A Requiem for Peace

_Take your breath 'till nothing's left,_  
_Scars of life upon your chest._  
_And I know wherever it goes_  
_And we run, with a lonely heart,_  
_And we run, for this killing love,_  
_And we run, to the heavens above._  
—Within Temptation, "And We Run"

It was no use, Tumaini could see it as soon as Jeraha's team began their advance. It was six on two and they were surrounded. A scraggly-maned lion bounded forward, with his partner following close behind. As soon as Tumaini moved to intercept them, Jeraha took the opening and charged straight for Siri.

Jeraha avoided the sluggish swipe she threw at him with ease. She was pinned to the ground in a heartbeat, turning away as his hot breath hit her face. She pressed her injured paw into his chin as his teeth snapped at her neck, gritting her teeth as her reopened wound sent blood trickling down her foreleg. Tumaini, who was keeping Jeraha's lions at bay, backed up to help her out.

A golden blur shot out of the trees and collided with Jeraha, sending him rolling away. It was Kopa, and he stood between Siri and the large male as Tumaini helped her up.

"So," Jeraha scoffed, "this is where you've decided to stand."

"I've _decided_ to do something about you," Kopa retorted.

As much as Tumaini approved of his friend's boldness in the face of adversity, he doubted it would help them in their predicament.

Jeraha clearly felt the same. "And how are you going to stop us alone?" he sneered, calling his bluff. He jerked his head, giving his team the silent order to attack on his word.

Kopa didn't look the least bit intimidated. "I'm never alone," he said. "Not in this forest."

A small stone flew through the air, striking one of Jeraha's lionesses in the back of the head. She turned and roared angrily, but retreated when a hail of stones rained down on her. The rest of the team peered around, trying to spot movement in the darkness between the trees.

Tanzu appeared in a rustle of leaves, hanging from the tallest branch of a nearby tree. The surrounding trees were suddenly filled with chimps, all peering down at the enemy lions. They did not look happy.

"I warned you too, you know," Kopa said to Jeraha as dozens of eyes appeared in the night around them. "You couldn't see them, but they were watching you." They appeared in masses out of the surrounding bushes and between the trees—shrews, aardvarks, porcupines, hares, and countless other creatures—easily a hundred of them or so.

Jeraha's team was beginning to lose their nerve. They backed up towards their leader, who, for the first time, looked as if he didn't know what to do.

Tanzu let loose a shrill screech. Every forest inhabitant sprang into motion, brandishing crude weapons and shouting battle cries. Tumaini pulled Siri out of the way as chimps descended from the trees and dropped down onto the enemy lions.

Jeraha was still trying to get to Siri, fighting his way through the mass of animals between them. Kopa jumped onto him, holding him in place with some difficulty. "Get going!" he shouted to Tumaini. "I'll get you as much time as I can!"

"I'm not leaving you here!" Tumaini protested.

Jeraha threw Kopa off, sending him tumbling to the ground. Before the larger male could strike back, he was stopped by a horde of animals that formed a protective circle around the young lion. Kopa stood up again, more angry than hurt. "You don't have time for this!" he yelled. "Get Siri out of here! I'll catch up, I promise!"

Jeraha swiped at a trio of shrews, sending the smaller creatures flying in a spray of blood and fur. Kopa moved to engage him again, but Tumaini could see the other lions relentlessly slaughtering the forest inhabitants. Their numbers were holding for now, but they would not for much longer. Up in the trees, Tanzu was parting the animals to let him and Siri into the pass. Kopa was right, there was no time to lose. "This way," Tumaini said, leading her away from the fight and toward the safety of the mountains.

"You're leaving him here?" she asked, watching as Kopa fought to hold off Jeraha. "To protect me? Is this the right thing to do?"

Tumaini was trying not to look back. He looked disconsolate, but his expression was resolute. "It'd better be."

The two of them fled into the mountains, leaving behind the forest Tumaini and Kopa had called home, and the last of the peace they shared for years.

•••

Kopa knew it wasn't over yet. Even as Tumaini and Siri disappeared into the pass, Jeraha continued to press forward through the mass of animals. He was relatively unscathed, but the rest of his team hadn't fared so well—they all sported various bruises from chimps' well-aimed rocks; one of the lionesses was missing a chunk of her ear; another lion's torso was spattered with crimson. Some were faring even worse, as their smaller but numerous opponents separated two of them and brought them down en masse.

Jeraha snarled in frustration. Kopa was holding his ground, preventing the enemy lions from charging through the smaller animals. He only had to keep it up for a while longer...

The young lion dodged back as Jeraha swiped at his face. Two hares ran forward, wielding roughly hewn sticks in their paws. They stabbed at the large lion's paws, diverting his attention long enough for Kopa to strike his opponent in the jaw with a clenched paw.

Jeraha staggered back, blood running from his mouth. But he recovered quickly, and in one lunge, he knocked the younger lion to the ground.

Tanzu swung down and kicked Jeraha in the face, knocking the larger lion off of Kopa. The old chimp landed next to Kopa and stared down the big male sternly. "That is quite enough. Take your lions and leave the forest now. This will be your only chance."

Jeraha's expression held nothing but contempt. But with two of his team dead and the others having exhausted themselves, Kopa could tell they were in no condition to catch up to Siri, much less try and kill her. And to his relief, Jeraha finally gave the order. "Retreat!"

The remaining enemy lions broke off from the fight with no small amount of eagerness. Tanzu held up a hand and the remaining forest creatures stopped immediately. Kopa watched with them in silence as Jeraha led his beaten and exhausted team away from the mountains.

Jioni flapped down to Tanzu, her eyes on the enemy lions' retreating forms. "I'll follow them, make sure they really do leave."

"Thank you, Jioni," Tanzu said softly. He looked more weary than Kopa had ever seen him. As the bat flew off, the old chimp turned to address the survivors. "You have all been very brave tonight," he said solemnly. "We are not warriors, nor have we been faced with a threat like this before. But among every one of you standing here, and those no longer with us...not one of you hesitated." He bowed his head. "Go home, my friends, see to your wounded. And thank you. In the morning we will lay the fallen to rest."

As the drained, dishevelled animals wandered away into the night, Kopa thought it was a strange sight that they were the same creatures fighting so ferociously mere moments ago. Then his gaze found the chimps, who were gathering the bodies of the dead. The young lion felt a sudden weakness overwhelm him, and he crumpled to the ground with a choking sob.

Tanzu, who was organizing his chimps on their unpleasant task, hurried over right away. "Kopa, my child, are you hurt?"

"No," Kopa responded shakily, his voice threatening to break. Hurt did not begin to describe it. For the first time in years, he felt completely alone in the forest. "Tanzu, I have to go."

"Of course," Tanzu agreed. "Tumaini needs your help. I will see to it that everyone is ready when those lions come back."

Kopa shook his head. "They're not coming back. And neither am I."

A concerned look crossed Tanzu's face. "Kopa, what is the matter? You have always been safe with us, here in the forest."

"And look how I've repaid them!" Kopa exclaimed, gesturing at the carnage around them. "Hundreds stood with me and now there's barely half of them left. Sauti's got thirty leverets and now they won't have her to take care of them. Everyone just lost someone in a fight that wasn't theirs."

"It was not yours either," Tanzu pointed out. "But here you are, about to put yourself at risk again. It is never easy to make a sacrifice such as this, my child. But sometimes there are things worth fighting for."

"Worth everyone we lost?" Kopa asked softly. Tanzu placed his wrinkled hand against the young lion's face.

"That is up to you now," the chimp told him. "Whatever is happening outside this forest, I know you and Tumaini will do everything you can to set it right. And I want you to know how proud I am of you both."

Kopa furrowed his brow. "You are? For what?"

"For proving you deserved your years of peace here. I do not know from where either of you came, but you protected this forest and never brought trouble to our home. It is not easy for a community so comfortable in its peace to step forward when that peace is threatened, but you both did, and everyone in the forest followed." Tanzu pressed his palm to Kopa's heart. "Wherever the two of you go in your travels, I wish you both well. I will make sure everyone here is well taken care of. They are as good a family as one can ask for."

Kopa nodded in agreement, his thoughts drifting to his own family. The sudden realization that he might never see Tanzu again prompted him to rush forward, wrapping one paw around the old chimp and holding him in a tight hug. The tears were flowing down Kopa's face now. "I still have a family out there," he told him. "I don't know who they are, or—or if they love me, but I'm going to find them. I'm going to figure out what really happened to me."

"I hope you find happiness also," Tanzu said with a gentle smile. "I will miss you, Kopa."

"I'll miss you too," Kopa murmured. He let go reluctantly. "If there's anything I can do to repay you..."

"There is just one thing," the chimp said. "If you find your family, if they still love you...then go to them, child. And never leave their side."

Kopa nodded solemnly.

"Promise me, Kopa."

"I promise."

Tanzu smiled, satisfied. But his eyes were heavy with sadness. "Now go. And may the Great Spirits guide you."

Kopa straightened, wiping his eyes with the back of his paw. He pointed himself at the pass and stared into the darkness enshrouding the mountains. "Goodbye, Tanzu," he said quietly. And without daring to look back, the young lion dashed off, bound for the world outside the Mirihi Forest.

•••

When Vitani woke up the next morning, the first thing she noticed was that Kovu was nowhere to be seen. She frowned, having recalled that he hadn't returned to the royal den the previous night. Having a good idea where he was, Vitani stood up, and with a quick stretch, hopped over the sleeping lions and slipped out of the royal den.

The sun hadn't fully risen yet, but it was light enough out that Vitani could make out the extent of the damage in the Pride Lands before her. Numerous cracks were spread across the land in curved rows, almost like zebra stripes; amidst the wreckage laid a number of collapsed trees, and it seemed the Zuberi River itself had flooded onto the surrounding land. She could see Simba and Nala off in the distance, likely getting an early start on sorting out the mess left by the earthquake. Given the events of the previous day, Vitani was sure everyone was going to be busy for a while.

 _At least Pride Rock is still standing,_ Vitani thought as she made her way alongside its tall, jutting structure. She allowed herself a morbid grin at the thought of the majestic Pride Rock surviving years of drought and several fires, only to be literally toppled by an earthquake.

The recovery den sat at the bottom of the slope winding down from the promontory. Vitani entered silently so as not to wake up the injured lions inside. She stepped over the sleeping form of Mateka, who was sprawled right next to the den's entrance; her fur was still specked with dried blood and various herbal mixtures, and she looked like she had simply passed out after tending to her patients. Still, Mateka seemed comfortable and Vitani wasn't going to disturb her friend from her much-needed rest; from the way the others in the den were slumbering peacefully, she had evidently done a thorough job.

She spotted Kovu exactly where she expected to find him, fast asleep next to Kiara with her face pressed against his. Vitani had never been the type for romantics, but she had to admit they looked cute together. She decided to let her brother be and was about to leave when she heard someone groan behind her.

Vitani turned around. It was the young black-maned male she had seen yesterday, and he was muttering incoherently in his sleep. His brow was knit and he looked frightened. "Please..." he said weakly. "Don't let him...I can't keep going...stop it— _stop it..._ "

Slowly, she walked over to him. The familiar feeling she'd had about him was still there, she was certain of it. She racked her brains to try and connect a name to the face.

Mateka got up, shaking out her fur before padding over to the black-maned lion. She shook his shoulder gently, but he pulled away.

"Is he okay?" Vitani asked.

"He'll be fine," Mateka assured her tiredly. "He's not hurt, but he's been in shock since the earthquake. I figured I'd put him here where I can keep an eye on him." She yawned, rubbing her shadowed eyes with one paw.

Vitani gave her a once-over. "You've been up most of the night. You should go back to sleep."

"No, I'm...fine." Mateka yawned again. "I gotta...check on my patients."

"I can do that," Vitani said firmly. "Go find somewhere to take a nap."

"Are you sure?" Mateka asked. She looked tempted by the offer, but her concerned gaze lingered on the others. She frowned. "Wait, you learned how to treat injuries in the Outlands?"

"Not at first, no," Vitani replied, steering her friend out of the den. "But it didn't take me long to realize how important it was. I didn't really become good at it until Kion—" She shut her mouth immediately, but now she had Mateka's full attention.

The tan-furred lioness sighed. "I knew where he was going," she admitted, all traces of sleep gone from her demeanour. "I had a feeling it wasn't Jasiri who needed his help all that time."

Vitani looked uncomfortable. "Who else knows?"

"No one, as far as I'm aware of. I don't think he even told the Lion Guard. As for me, I didn't tell Simba because I knew all of you needed the help. And, well...Kion's never been one to make a decision unless he's absolutely certain it's the right one. So...I trust him."

"Hmm," said Vitani shrewdly, masking her relief with ease. "And are you sure it's not more than trust?"

Mateka actually blushed. "Okay, you got me, Tani," she laughed. "You have to admit, he's a handsome one."

"That he is," Vitani responded without missing a beat. She couldn't help grinning herself. "Not really my type though."

"Still, you two must have had fun," Mateka remarked, winking with a knowing smile.

Vitani's eye twitched. "See you around, Mateka," was her response. She turned and retreated into the recovery den.

The sun was coming up now, and some of the patients were beginning to wake up. Vitani made her way around the den, inspecting the patients' injuries and making sure they were comfortable. When she stopped to check on Kiara, Kovu opened one eye and poked Vitani with a paw.

She jumped, then scowled at her brother. "How long have you been awake?"

Kovu's brilliant green eyes twinkled with mischief. "Were you and Kion...did you two really...?"

Vitani shot him a dirty look. "We're not having this conversation."

"Did he apologize for using the Roar on you?" Kovu asked. "He did, didn't he? You were going off on your own a lot in the past year."

"He was helping me scavenge for food and clean water, you idiot," she told him exasperatedly. "You know, because everyone was starving?"

"Yeah, it makes sense now," Kovu recalled, smirking. "So how many dates did you two go on?"

Vitani smacked him upside the head. "You keep talking, you'll be in here for a different reason. And the nice doctor isn't on duty right now."

"Actually, she is," came Simba's voice as he and Nala entered the den. "She found a herd that got caught in the worst of the earthquake and is treating them now."

Vitani rolled her eyes. "I told her to get more rest."

Nala smiled. "You're a good friend, Vitani, but Mateka told us she wasn't going to sleep until every injured animal in the Pride Lands has been looked after."

"Of course she isn't," Vitani muttered. "Didn't you guys have a monkey or something who can do that?"

From the corner of her vision, she saw the blur of a stick but didn't have time to react as it came down on her head. "Ow!" Eyes watering, she spotted Rafiki standing by the entrance.

"First thing, I am a mandrill," he said, wagging a finger at her. "Second thing, who do you think taught her, hm?"

"Did you also teach her to hit people with a stick?" Vitani grumbled, rubbing her head.

Rafiki winked. "No. That I taught Bunga, and he has learned well, if I do say so myself. Heeheehee!"

Vitani turned to Simba and Nala, both of whom looked rather amused. "Okay, I take it back. I can do without having to deal with the monkey." She ducked as the stick swung at her head again.

"Rafiki is here for Kiara," Nala explained. "He's taking her to the Cave of Ancestry."

"I think she's had enough of caves for a while," Vitani chuckled. When Simba and Nala did not join her, she stopped. "Okay, so Cave of Ancestry. What's in there?"

"Our family tree," Simba told her. "Every member of the royal family all the up way to Zuberi, the first lion king."

"You're going to tell her about Kopa," Vitani realized. The king and queen nodded.

"Kovu is coming with us," Nala said. "He deserves to know everything."

"You're welcome to join us," Simba offered.

"I'm okay," Vitani said, a little quickly.

Nala's expression softened. "Are you really, Vitani?"

"You still have much doubt," Rafiki said to Vitani, now completely serious. "You have found acceptance, and you have found belonging. But you have not yet found forgiveness. And that is what you seek."

"Forgiveness?" Vitani repeated.

"Yes, forgiveness." The mandrill pressed his finger against her heart. "There is no one more difficult to forgive than yourself. You still hold onto much of the blame." When Vitani looked down, Rafiki nudged her chin up and gave her a sad smile. "Vitani, Zira did not kill Kopa because he was your friend. There was nothing you could do to protect him from her hatred."

"I know that now," she said heavily. "But she always said we shouldn't have been friends. And I think she was right."

"No, she wasn't." Kovu appeared at her shoulder, with Kiara beside him. "Zira wanted you—wanted both of us—to be as heartless as she was. Everything was different after Scar was overthrown, but in her mind nothing had changed." He bit his lip. "She never told me the truth, you know. All I knew was that she tried to kill Simba, and then we were sent into exile."

Simba's expression was guilty. "You both deserved better," he said heavily. "Zira brought so much suffering on you, and I only added to it."

"She brought it on all of us," Nala reminded him. "When Kiara was born, we were so busy taking care of her...and then Kopa...I should have...been more watchful..." Her voice broke, but she was able to retain her composure.

Rafiki tapped his staff against the ground to get everyone's attention. "It sounds as if you should all come with me. That includes both of you," he added to the king and queen.

"We've got to get back to our duties," Simba protested.

"Simba," Rafiki intoned sternly, "it is time for your family to make peace with your past. Have you learned nothing from your return to the Pride Lands? Your subjects can uphold the Circle of Life without you for one morning."

The king looked at Nala, who gave a him slight nod. He sighed. "Okay."

Satisfied, Rafiki turned and led the royal family outside. He brought them around to the back of Pride Rock and into the small entrance hewn into its surface.

Vitani was speechless as she entered. She knew that Pride Rock housed several caverns and dens, including the secret lair of the Lion Guard. But the Cave of Ancestry was something else entirely.

It was enormous, but the size wasn't what awed her. They were surrounded by a plethora of bright colours that she realized were ancient paintings, as clear as the day they were made. They were spread extensively across the walls, but even then much of the stone surface remained untouched. But there was one thing Vitani was looking at in particular.

A huge map was painted across the entire far wall, detailing the geography of the Pride Lands as well as many of the territories surrounding it. The map stretched out beyond Kilimanjaro and the East African range to mountain regions she'd never heard of—from the Rwenzori Mountains in the north, to the Ngorongoro Crater in the west, to a place called the Great Rift Valley in the southeast. Vitani was fixated, her electric blue eyes darting from one place on the map to another. _I never imagined the world was so big..._

She was snapped out of her reverie when Rafiki tapped her on the shoulder. "It is a wondrous map, I know. But this one is even more so." He pointed above their heads. Vitani looked up, and her jaw dropped.

The ceiling was strewn with a dazzling model of the stars, covering every last corner with white-gold spots. Rafiki pointed at the single star in one corner of the cavern. "That is the North Star. It first appeared after the reign of Zuberi, the first lion king." He gestured at the constellations, tracing lines in the air that mirrored the ones branching from Zuberi's star. "Every one of his successors has been recorded here. When an heir is born, their name is written on the next star. And when they die, their star is connected to their predecessor's."

Vitani's eyes found Simba's star next to Nala's; it was not connected to Mufasa's, but neither father or son were connected to the scratched-off star next to them. She could barely make out the single, barely visible word: **Taka**.

There were three more names below Simba and Nala's, representing their children. Kiara and Kion's stars were standalone, but next to them were two lines linking Kopa's star to his parents'.

"Now," said Rafiki, turning to Kiara at last, "let me tell you about your brother Kopa. His life contained many extraordinary stories, such as when he befriended and saved the life of a hyena. Or the time he reclaimed the kingdom for Simba after he was cheated out of the throne. But I will start from the beginning, when Kopa learned that being brave does not mean being fearless..."


	7. Enemy Mine

_When you get older, plainer, saner,_  
_Will you remember all the danger we came from?_  
_Burning like embers, falling, tender,_  
_Longing for the days of no surrender, years ago._  
_Wishing I could see the machinations,_  
_Understand the toil of expectations in your mind._  
—LP, "Lost On You"

"...it means my fear does not stop me," Kopa recited. "It does not control me."

A gentle wind ruffled his mane, carrying with it the familiar scent of giant groundsels. Kopa recognized very little of the landscape as he left the Mirihi Forest further behind. The first traces of dawn had begun to seep into the night sky, but the towering stretch of the mountain range concealed the path and surrounding lowlands in a shadowy veil.

 _Being brave does not mean being fearless._ Kopa pondered the words as he pressed on, trying to remember if Tumaini had taught him that one—or if they were something he heard in his previous life. He couldn't connect it to a memory, but that didn't provide the answers he needed. Besides, it didn't add up to what Tumaini told him about his family. Kopa believed his friend had meant every word he said, but there was still the nagging possibility in his mind that there was more to the truth. _And if Janga's going after every pride in the Serengeti, then I need to find them before she does..._

The path ahead continued winding between the boulders and mountains, disappearing and reappearing from sight on an endless stretch. From what Kopa could pick up of Tumaini's trail, his friend must be leading Siri deep into the mountain range rather than following the Zuberi River, or finding some other way into the Back Lands. Tumaini had never told him precisely _where_ the Hollow was, but he decided to worry about that later. _I just hope we make it in time._

Kopa heard an irregular rustling from just off the path, and he paused.

"Is someone there?" gasped a voice, tight with pain. The inflection was definitely that of a lion's. Kopa spotted him lying between the nearby patches of grassy tussocks; his ash-grey fur made him almost invisible in the darkness. "Sajin, is—is that you?"

Kopa approached slowly. This lion was very close to his own age. "I'm afraid not," he said apologetically. The young male's breathing sounded ragged. As Kopa crouched down next to him, he noticed the way the injured lion was clutching his side. "Let me see it."

The lion stiffened, and Kopa could see a hint of fear in his pained expression. As Kopa gently peeled the paw away he gave the young lion a reassuring smile, then turned to examine the wound. The smile immediately vanished.

Four deep gashes, unmistakably claw marks, and judging from the slight discolouring in the blood, the wounds had become infected. But that wasn't the worst of it; the telltale way the lion was gasping for breath meant that his lung was collapsed. _This is complicated. But I should know how to do this...in theory._

Kopa placed one ear close to the injured lion's chest. "What's your name?"

"Kiza," panted the young male. "I can't...I can't breathe..."

As Kiza spoke, Kopa listened closely to the hiss in his breathing. "I know, Kiza," he assured him. "Lie still and don't talk. Take slow, deep breaths."

A nearby rustling sound prompted Kopa to look up. Appearing from a cluster of tall groundsels were two lions, a sandy female and a russet-furred male. Kopa wondered how they had approached so silently, when the stern middle-aged male addressed him. "Identify yourself."

Kopa calmly stepped back from Kiza. "My name is Kopa. I'm a friend."

"You're not one of them?" the long-necked lioness asked warily.

He shook his head. He had a good idea whom she was referring to. "I don't know what's going on, or why you're here," he told them. "But I do know these mountains, and I can help him." When the other lions didn't say anything, he continued, "There are plants on the mountains, ones that only grow in the freezing cold. If I can find them, I can release the pressure in Kiza's chest and his lung will re-inflate itself." _I hope._

The lioness glanced at her leader. "Sajin?"

"Stay with him, Taya," Sajin ordered. To Kopa, he said, "You and me, we're going to find these plants."

"He's going to need those cuts disinfected first," Kopa added to Taya. "Collect as much yellow moss as you can. They grow all over the rocks around here." Promptly, he led Sajin off the path and toward the rocky slopes, scanning the mountainside for patches where the grass grew more sparsely amidst the brisk climate above.

"So what happened here?" Kopa asked as they climbed. Sajin was silent, observing the younger lion warily.

"They found us," he said quietly. "I don't think they meant to. Didn't matter, all I knew was that there were nine of them and five of us. One of them panicked and a fight broke out. But it didn't look like they wanted to fight either, because when I called a retreat, they just let us go. Kiza was hurt, and I decided we were going to stay put until we figured out how to patch him up."

 _Except you don't know where to look._ Something was bothering Kopa, some crucial piece of information he was missing. "You said there were five of you," he affirmed. "Where are the other two?"

Sajin grimaced. "I told them to keep watch on Kiza while Taya and I searched. I wandered the mountains for the entire night and didn't find anything I could use... Then Taya told me the others had deserted." He scoffed, sounding more disbelieving than angry. "That's a first I suppose, but then again we've had no luck completing our mission since we entered this mountain range. Still, they'll report back to Janga if they know what's good for them."

Kopa stopped with his paw on the rocky slope, which was more than three times taller than he was. As he waited to catch his breath, he wondered for a moment if he had misheard entirely. _No, he used the word "mission". Siri said they weren't like a pride, but..._

"Taya wants to leave these mountains too, I can tell," said Sajin, who had caught up and was eyeing the steep climb before them. "So do I. But my first priority is to save Kiza." And with the agility of a younger lion, he leaped onto the side of the rock face and hauled himself up. "He's a kid who was just following orders...my orders. That makes him my responsibility." He crouched down in front of Kopa, who still hadn't moved, and reached out a paw.

Slowly, Kopa took Sajin's paw. He let the older lion help him up and felt a chilly breeze tickling his nose. _It's only going to get colder from here._ "That was...very enlightening," he said, disguising the tightness in his voice with a slight shiver. "Thanks, I wasn't sure I could climb that."

"Think nothing of it," Sajin replied amicably. "I can tell you're exhausted, and our presence in these mountains must be an unwelcome one for you. Yet your first impulse was to help Kiza when you found him. It's me who should be thanking you." He nodded for Kopa to lead the way, and the younger lion wordlessly complied, trying to keep his expression impartial. His mind was running rampant with unanswered questions about Janga and who she really was. _Am I still doing the right thing? How can I know what that is when I don't even know who's right or wrong?_

 _I wish Tumaini was here._ But Kopa was on his own, and if he intended to see his friend again, then this time he would have to make the call himself. He just wished it didn't have to be so hard.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

•••

* * *

**3 DAYS AGO**

* * *

Fujo padded through the corridors of Mount Tempest, his steady pawsteps almost indiscernible amidst the bustle around him. The mountain's interior, more than spacious enough for the twenty-eight lions living inside, was filled with activity as evening approached. The hunting parties were returning one by one, and for the rest of the Tempest Pride, it was time to take inventory of their resources.

Fujo ascended the stronghold level by level, his limber but strapping frame weaving easily around passing lions. He made sure to inspect the storage dens on each floor. The pride was presently stocking the chambers with stones, firewood, herbs, and reserves of clean water, which were a lifeline with the frequent storms that gave Mount Tempest its namesake. _When it comes to Malka, it's always better to be certain._

_Everything is about to change. Tonight._

Which was why things had to appear normal until then. Fujo's slowed his pace as he neared the top floors of Mount Tempest; he could navigate its network of tunnels in his sleep—and compared to Malka he was still in excellent shape—but he also knew they were both a bit past their prime. As Fujo leaned against the wall to catch his breath, his eyes were drawn to a weave of orange-gold light spilling into the corridor from an opening in the wall.

This was the highest of Mount Tempest's lookout posts, and had remained unused for some time. The room, once a den belonging to some ancestral king or other, was exposed to the open air and the view of the grassland below. The sun was sitting against the horizon; soon it would be difficult to see into the darkness of the fields. Fujo's gaze lingered on the stone walls, watching the light shift against the uneven surface.

Fujo turned away and proceeded to the next floor. Situated near the peak of Mount Tempest, the royal quarters contained only four dens, and sat one level below the enormous water basins that their ancestors carved out of the mountaintop. After attempting and failing to coax Malka out of his self-imposed seclusion, the pride had taken to managing their own responsibilities. Fujo was confident that most of them would survive what was about to unfold.

He passed the first chamber to the left—his quarters—and made for the one on the opposite end of the corridor, but he stopped short. Laying in the adjacent den was Malka, the king of Mount Tempest. Fujo sighed at the familiar sight of his older brother, who looked nothing like a king as he stirred from his restless slumber; a pair of bleary maroon eyes peered at Fujo from beneath an unkempt black mane. There had been a time when Malka at least pretended to know what he was doing, but that act had fallen apart long ago.

Fujo entered the den. "What are you doing in Af—in here?"

"I miss him, brother," Malka murmured tiredly. "I miss them both, so much."

Fujo felt the flicker of an old, familiar anger. _Then how come I was the one digging through the rockslide, and not you? Why was I searching the Serengeti for them day and night, while you sat here feeling sorry for yourself?_ The contemptuous thought ripped at his conscience, but his expression remained outwardly unchanged. So he gave the only truthful response he could. "So do I, Malka."

"Will you stay with me for a while?" the king asked coaxingly.

Fujo did not move from where he stood.

"Please, brother." Malka laid his head against his paws. "I haven't been sleeping these days. The nights are worse."

"Maybe you should stop hiding from the pride," Fujo said reproachfully. "Take charge of things again."

"They don't need me." Malka's brow was heavy with resignation. "They're better off now than they ever were with me. And they have you."

Fujo gave a skeptical scoff. "Me? They learned to take care of themselves in my absence. They've adapted beyond kings and the old traditions we relied on for generations, and maybe that's for the best."

"Maybe," Malka conceded. "You were gone for so long, Fujo. For a while I wondered if you were ever coming back."

"I wasn't sure if I would," Fujo told him plainly. "When I was out there, when I couldn't find them...but I thought...if there was any chance that they were still alive…" He fought to steady his voice. "I would want to be here, if they ever returned."

"I'm glad you're here. Even if it's not for me." Malka smiled sadly. "Even if you never call me brother again."

Fujo said nothing. The time for awkward denials was long past. What was left were the realities they had to face, and he had no more intentions to feed into Malka's self-pity.

"You've changed too," the king said reflectively. "You never found them, but you did find something. I can see it, Fujo—what is it?"

Fujo thought of Janga. How she could bring about the end of everything they knew. How he would turn her plans into an opportunity. _I've conspired in unspeakable things, laid out the lives of this pride like prey to be hunted. In doing so I risk everything—not just for myself, but for every kingdom in the Serengeti—for one opportunity._ "Purpose," he said simply.

Malka opened his mouth but stopped at the sound of urgent pawsteps outside the den. In the entryway appeared Chumvi, a stout red-brown lion who was not much older than Fujo. "Water...in the tunnels," he gasped between breaths, "they've backed up...the mountain is flooding..."

Malka bolted to his paws with a surprising briskness. "Kings above, this is terrible!" he exclaimed. His eyes widened. "Siri! Where—is she alright—?"

"She's fine, she's still out with her hunting party," Fujo said impatiently. He was glad his brother was giving the situation his full attention for once, but his tendency to panic usually led to complications. "Focus, Malka. We have the rest of the pride to worry about."

"Some of them are already spreading the word," Chumvi chipped in. His tone suggested that he hadn't counted on coming to them first. "Is there any way to stop the water from rising?"

"Not unless we can find the source of the blockage," Fujo said immediately. "If we send someone into the water tunnels—"

"It's too risky," Malka interjected, with a hint of the old authority in his voice. He turned to Chumvi. "Give the order to evacuate. Tell the pride to await further instructions on the plateau."

"They won't be happy with you," Fujo warned as Chumvi dashed off. The two of them promptly left the royal quarters as well, making for the lower levels as quickly as they could. "Are you sure forcing everyone out is the first order you want to give after this long?"

"I'm not sure of anything, Fujo," the king confessed. "And I don't take those chances anymore. I just want everyone to get to safety. That's one thing I know I can still do."

As they passed by the now dimly-lit lookout post, Fujo glanced through the opening again; the evening was almost upon them. Janga's forces were likely outside by now, unless he had somehow misjudged her competence. He dismissed the idea; if she made it this far then she had to be more than prepared to see her plans through, no matter what.

Malka nudged his brother suddenly, startling him. "Do you remember the drill?" the king asked.

Fujo almost smiled. It seemed there was more of his brother left in there than he had thought. Though it was nowhere near enough to stop what was coming. "Of course," he responded coolly. "I'll see to the exits, make sure they're all sealed once everyone is safely evacuated."

The plan was in motion. Now all he had to do was see it through.

•••

* * *

**PRESENT**

* * *

Janga sat upon the quiet plateau, watching the sun rise over the grassland. It was beautiful, the way the light appeared on the horizon and saturated the mountains on either side. _But it's not home,_ she thought, looking over her shoulder to behold the pass that split the mountain range in two. The colossal opening, vibrant and shimmering in the early morning rays, looked as if it was inviting her onward to what lay beyond. Janga turned away from the pass. _That's the easy way out, and I didn't come all this way to do what's easy._

They had occupied the plateau for three days now, trying without success to find a way into Mount Tempest. The rocks around the main entrance were almost cleared away, although it had been a thoroughly exhausting effort with half their forces sent in the mountain range. As if that hadn't slowed them down enough, the smaller tunnels had remained stubbornly shut despite their best efforts to pull the barricades out of their pits. Fujo had to know how to move the remaining boulders aside, but Janga doubted he would be forthcoming with that information.

 _This plan cannot possibly end well for both of us,_ she thought, thinking of the distasteful situation she was in. _It might not even end well for either of us._

Pessimism was a trait that many leaders avoided, even feared. But Janga had learned long ago to prepare for failure, and her precaution had steered her clear of it many times. Fujo would renounce their precarious alliance once they were no longer useful to each other, that much was obvious to her. He had to die, although that was something she had made up her mind on the moment she heard his proposal. _Kill your brother, take his place, make sure no one knows you're involved. Where have I heard that before?_ Janga scowled, resolving to kill Fujo personally when their dealings were done. That was a life she would gladly snuff out.

Still, none of her lions complained about the dubious nature of their "ally", or the situation he had placed them in. Janga was pleased with their unquestioning loyalty, but even following their successful attack on Mount Tempest, she wondered if her deal with Fujo was the right call. What infuriated her was that she would have readily turned him down and had him dealt with on her own terms—if he hadn't been right about one thing.

" _You can't take on the Tempest Pride, not unless you can siege the mountain and win," he had told her. "And from what I see, you don't have the numbers to hold a siege_ and _attack the Pride Lands."_

" _I'll find another way through the mountains," was her cold response._

" _I suppose you could try." Fujo sounded amused at the thought. "But time is not a luxury you have, not to mention it would be impossible for you to navigate your...friends through the mountain range, in hopes of finding a path wide enough that, I should add, you don't know exists."_

" _And if I help you, you'll just let us through the pass?" Janga narrowed her eyes._

_Fujo scoffed at her suspicion. "I won't have a choice in the matter," he assured her. "Not if your lions pull your weight."_

_She scowled. "I pull my own weight."_

" _I guess that makes two of us," Fujo replied with a shrewd smile. His maroon eyes were burning with an icy fire but gave away nothing._

So here she was, waiting on their carefully orchestrated plan to play itself out. Of course, she didn't believe for a moment that Fujo would leave himself at her mercy, not without a backup plan. _Does he think I'm just going to play his game?_ Janga snorted disdainfully. It hadn't escaped her attention that he had been tenaciously focused on closing the main entrance, more so than was necessary to maintain his ruse. So after securing the main entrance had become futile, she made the implicit decision to "allow" Malka a chance to escape into the mountain range; the rest of the pride had scattered shortly after that, leaving Fujo with no choice but to flee as well.

Janga allowed herself a satisfied smile. _I don't need Malka dead yet,_ she thought, her gaze still lingering on the pass. Fujo could worry about him, if it meant he would be too preoccupied to cause problems for her. In the meantime, she was free to proceed with the next part of her mission. Kivuli would track Malka down in no time, and Fujo would be sure to accept the help. _Maybe he won't be so keen to beat around the bush this time._

A tired-looking lioness was hurrying over from the far side of the plateau. Janga recognized her as one of the sentries assigned to the night shift. She waited for the lioness to reach her before addressing her. "Something to report, Kupinga?"

"Wivu and Masao have returned," Kupinga informed her. Hesitantly, she added, "No sign of Sajin or the rest of his team."

Janga pondered this for a moment. "Send them to the main entrance," she said. "Kupinga."

"Yes, Janga?" Kupinga stopped as she was about to leave.

"Rest while you can. We have a lot of work to do and I need everyone in optimal condition."

"Of course."

 _We're stretched too thin,_ Janga thought as she made her way toward Mount Tempest's main entrance. There was still no word from Jeraha about the escaped lioness, which was unusual considering her friend's "skills" when it came to dealing with such problems, but Janga wasn't worried. _That lioness won't find any help on this side of the mountain range, and my lions will keep her far from wherever the rest of her pride is going._ The Tempest Pride had a fallback plan, Janga was sure of it. But that was another secret Fujo was determined to keep from her.

 _And from the looks of it,_ Janga thought, spotting the two lions sitting by the mostly excavated main entrance, _I'm not about to hear any good news._ They made to stand as she approached. "That won't be necessary," Janga said shortly, noting how tired they looked. "Is there anything I should know before we begin?"

"The mountains are a nightmare, Janga," exclaimed Wivu, a scraggly female. "You could search for the way out for days and find nothing—nothing but mountains, and this pride knows the territory better than we ever could. It would be impossible to get all of us through, never mind the—"

"Which is why we secured the pass," Janga reminded, cutting off Wivu's rambling. She addressed the other lion without turning to look at him. "Masao. Where's the rest of the team?"

Masao looked abashed. "We got lost in the mountains," he mumbled.

"Speak up," Janga snapped, "and look me in the eye when you're talking to me."

"Yes, Janga," Masao stammered, hastening to obey. "We—we ran into some lions from the Tempest Pride. We were outnumbered nearly two to one, but we stood and fought anyway. Kiza took a hit, and we retreated, they let us go so we let them run." When Janga remained silent with her eyes on him, he continued, "Kiza couldn't be moved, and we didn't know what to do, and Sajin just wanted to search for healing plants that don't grow in the mountains—"

Janga held up a paw, and he fell silent immediately. "So you disobeyed Sajin's orders, deserted your team, and left a fellow lion wounded in the mountains."

"We came back to find help," Wivu tried weakly. "But yes."

She and Masao sat rigidly as Janga walked past them. The leader scrutinized the large rocks blocking the main entrance, facing away from the two of them. "I'm disappointed," she said. "Given how well the two of you performed your duties at Viridian Falls, I was sure I made the right choice. But a few days into our mission here and all you have to show me is that my trust was misplaced." Wivu flinched as Janga's austere glare turned onto her. "Do you like killing lions, Wivu?"

Wivu shook her head, swallowing nervously.

"How about you, Masao? Does it feel good, what we're doing here?"

"No," Masao responded faintly.

Janga turned back to the half-opened tunnel before them. "You know how important this is to me," she continued. "I know what I'm asking of you—all of you—in following me. But we won't succeed, not unless it's just as important for each and every one of you. We cannot falter in our resolve, or doubt one another—or leave our own behind."

"We understand, Janga," Wivu murmured.

"Good," said Janga. "Get over here."

The two of them slowly padded over to the stones, trembling as they knew what was coming.

"Start dismantling the barricade," she ordered.

"What?" Masao blurted in disbelief. Janga shot him a glare and he looked appalled.

"Take down these rocks," she tried again, with forced patience. "You can stop when you've cleared a safe opening to walk through."

"That's it?" Wivu said incredulously.

Janga frowned. "It's extremely draining work, as you'll both find out very quickly. The progress we've made took three days between eight lions."

"You're not going to kill us for deserting?" Masao blurted, wondering if he was pushing his luck a bit too much. "But the Code of the K—"

"Enough," his leader snarled. "You answer to me, first and foremost, and I don't deal in Laws and Codes. You're still useful to me, and the punishment I've assigned you will move our mission forward as well. And I thought I already made myself clear on killing lions."

Both lions were visibly relieved. "Thank you, Janga," Masao croaked. He didn't get much further as Janga's paw grabbed him firmly by the chin and pulled his face in front of hers. Janga could see her own furious expression reflected in his terrified eyes.

"But in case you think about taking my lenience for granted," she growled, "understand that you will have no protection from me if you jeopardize the mission again. If you two had tried to run, you'd be dead by now." She released Masao by shoving him into the rocks. "Get to work."

Janga turned and stalked out of the alcove, past a recoiling Wivu who immediately scrambled for the barricade. She made her way around the stronghold, scrutinizing her lions for those most suitable for the next phase of the plan. _I'll lead a team to pull everyone out of the mountains,_ she thought. It was time to redirect their efforts anyway. The way to the Pride Lands was wide open, and once they completed their task, holding Mount Tempest would be inconsequential. Janga roared, and one by one her lions appeared before her. She was satisfied to see that there were more than enough to guard Mount Tempest; she would only need two or three with her, as their numbers would grow with each team they gathered.

_I'm coming for you, Simba. You were better off when everyone thought you were dead._


	8. Snowflowers

_What if I had your heart? What if you wore my scars?_  
_How would we break down? What if you were me, and what if I were you?_  
_What if you told my lies? What if I cried with your eyes?_  
_Could anyone keep us down?_  
_What if you were me, what if I were you?_  
—Five For Fighting, "What If"

Fuli had never liked the mountains. Her short fur was ill-suited to the cold, and the constant humidity was not something she cared for either. But that wasn't what bothered her the most; the uneven terrain made it impossible for her to get up to speed, and a cheetah who could not run was a useless one. Fuli did not like feeling useless, especially when she was trying to find out more about the three lions she was trailing.

 _I don't blend in so well around here,_ she reflected as she stalked the trio, trying to stay out of sight. She ducked behind a nearby protruding rock face, cringing as one of her back paws scattered a few loose stones with a conspicuous clatter. Up ahead, three sets of pawsteps halted.

"Nothing there," one of the lions muttered. Although Fuli wasn't looking at him, she recognized the speaker as the black-maned male whom she guessed was the leader. "Let's...just keep moving."

"I picked up a scent just now," responded a second voice, belonging to the younger male in the group. "It wasn't a lion's, but..."

"Then it isn't them," said the black-maned lion. "Not every creature who lives in these mountains would take kindly to trespassing, I know from personal experience. There's a chance they've driven our enemies off, but we'll end up the same way unless we get out of here."

The only lioness in the group spoke up. "What about the rest of the pride, _your_ pride?" There was a hint of accusation in her voice. "You need to do something about this mess, Malka." It seemed like Fuli's suspicions were correct.

"The others know the way," Malka replied wearily. "If we try to find them, we'd only be endangering the ones that have already made it."

"So we hide, and then what?" the other male questioned. "What are we supposed to do about the lions that attacked us?"

"I...I don't know," Malka admitted. "But I'll figure it out, once we reach the Hollow. Now come on. It's not much further."

Fuli waited until the lions' pawsteps faded before releasing the breath she had been holding. Running the conversation over in her head, she was frustrated to realize that she still had no idea what was going on.

Still, what she overheard just now might have some use. _I could show myself,_ she thought, peering around the rock face. The lions had changed direction and were slipping into a discreet crevice between the mountains. They didn't seem to be hostile, and she was sure she would get more information through making contact than she would spying on them. Not to mention they really looked like they needed the help.

 _No, Kion's orders were very specific,_ Fuli reminded herself. _We need more to go on before the Lion Guard takes action._ As much as Fuli wanted to do more than eavesdrop, she knew that a single cheetah could not win against three potentially hostile lions—or even outrun them in this terrain. _I'll see what the deal is with this "Hollow". Maybe I'll find out more about them then..._

Fuli's eye caught movement above her, not too far off in the distance. She peered up and spotted Ono's familiar form, his white-feathered silhouette unmistakable in the early morning sky. From the way the egret was circling, it looked like he was also watching someone—a someone who was not far from Malka's group. Mystified as she was about her quarry, she darted after them with as much silence as she could manage. Something important was about to happen, and she wanted to be ready when it did.

•••

Ono decided that he did not like the look of the lions in the canyon below. The egret had been in enough combat to recognize a trap when he saw one, and the grey-furred lioness leading the team of six looked like she knew what she was doing. They were dumping rock after rock into the crevice, blocking it off completely.

 _Who knew there was so much going on outside the Pride Lands?_ Ono's sharp eyes took in the features of each lion, committing them to memory as they worked away. They looked busy and had yet to notice him, but in adulthood Ono was no longer as diminutive as when he first joined the Lion Guard. He wasn't about to take unnecessary risks by watching them any longer than necessary.

 _But until I find out what I need to know, here I am._ Ono stretched his canvas-like wings all the way out and made another wide circle, listening through the rush of the mountain wind for any snatches of conversation he could pick up. Although his unrivalled eyesight was his most famous trait, his hearing was also quite acute at discerning details in sound. But so far the lions below hadn't spoken since he spotted them, and he had no names to put faces to.

 _But that grey one...I have a feeling about her._ Ono's gaze lingered on the crafty-looking lioness in the front. The calculating silver eyes, the swift noiselessness with which she moved, the way the others followed her lead in silence—he would bet his tail feathers she was instrumental in whatever was happening. So whatever it was they were after, Ono intended to find out.

The egret's attention was diverted as he noticed a lanky yellow form lurking behind a huge fallen tree. He immediately recognized Fuli, not far behind the lions by the canyon. She was looking straight up and was waving at him with the "regroup" signal developed by the Lion Guard. Ono peeled off from the lions and swooped into a steady glide down to his friend.

"So I take it you've seen them," the egret said, landing with barely a rustle.

"Seen is about it," Fuli grumbled. "They're not a very talkative bunch, are they?"

"They haven't said a word," Ono lamented. "Whoever they are, they sure don't mess around. These are the ones we need to watch out for."

The cheetah peered out from around the tree to make sure the lions hadn't taken notice of them. "Maybe not just us," she mused. "I was following another group when I spotted you. It doesn't look like they're on the same side."

Realization dawned on Ono. " _Hapana,_ " he gasped. "The barricade they built—we have to do someth—" He made to take off when Fuli's paw closed around his beak.

"Hold it, Ono," Fuli hissed. "Remember what Kion said. We need to make sure we're on the right side."

"So we do nothing?" Ono mumbled around her paw.

"I didn't say that," she said, letting go of his beak. "Let's take a look at what they're up to."

"And if we have to intervene?" he implored.

"Then Kion will understand," Fuli said simply.

 _This was never in the job description,_ Ono thought, somewhat annoyed despite the gravity of the situation. It was infinitely more difficult to solve a problem when they had to remain hidden. _But the Lion Guard doesn't leave the innocent in danger._

_I hope this all clears up soon. I don't know how much longer we can just stand by and let this happen._

•••

If he had to be honest, Beshte was actually really enjoying the cold. The vast snowbanks draped across the mountaintops were deep enough for the hippo to sit in, and its coolness reminded him of the water pools back home at Big Springs. It had been years since the Lion Guard had journeyed to the Theluji mountains, and the memory made Beshte smile as he waded through the snow.

The hippo felt his foot brush against something wet, more so than the snow he was digging at with his enormous body. He looked down and spotted a patch of dirt protruding from beneath the layers of snow. _I'm on the right track._ Beshte dug vigorously at the snowbank, clearing it away in moments.

Pressed flat against the dirt, looking barely half-grown, laid a pair of spiny plants, consisting of little more than pod-like leaves sprouting from each stem. Their pale silver-green hue was unique to the everlasting snowflowers described by Rafiki, the only Pridelander outside the Lion Guard who actually believed Beshte could climb a mountain and find them. The hippo was pleased that Kion had trusted him to bring back the snowflowers on his own, and even more so that his trust had turned out to be well placed.

Taking care not to crush the plants, Beshte carefully but firmly extracted each one and placed them onto a nearby rock ledge. He proceeded to find a new spot in the snowbank, digging around until he found more dirt. Some of them came up empty, but before long he had enough to last the Guard until the end of their mission. Satisfied, Beshte collected the plants between his teeth and hauled himself back up onto solid ground. He was about to head down the mountain when he heard voices. The hippo immediately recognized the strong, guttural timbre; lions, two of them, were coming nearer.

 _Stay out of sight until I give the all-clear,_ Kion had told each of them before they set out to complete their tasks. _So when you're on your own, that means under no circumstances should you reveal yourselves._ It was simple enough, and Beshte looked around for a hiding place. But all he saw was rock and snow upon the open mountainside. Then his eyes found a smooth, undisturbed expanse of snow, and he decided to take a chance.

Beshte broke into a jog, his massive feet sending reverberations through the ground beneath him. He leapt into the air with all his might and landed with a clean _whump_ into the middle of the snowbank. The hippo ducked his head and tail down and planted himself as deep into the snow as he could manage, arching his back up out of the surface as he did so. He held still as the voices came closer.

"This should be far enough." The voice was young but unmistakably adult, and sounded noticeably weary. "There are snowflowers buried under here, wherever you can find dirt."

"Let's get to it then," replied a second male voice. This one was gruffer, older. "It's not safe to be up here alone for long. I heard something big stomping around just now, and we won't pick up scents so well in the cold."

Beshte listened as the lions walked past him, most likely mistaking his protruding back for a rock as he'd hoped. He heard two muffled _thump_ s as they leapt into the snow and began burrowing. But from what he could make out, they were having a lot more trouble than he was, and before long both lions had stopped.

"This is harder than I thought," the younger one panted from inside his pit. "I've haven't hit dirt, how about you?"

"I have," grunted the older one. "But no snowflowers."

"Okay, let's pick another spot. Maybe we still need to go higher..."

"No. Kiza is running out of time. I'm going to keep digging. I suggest you do the same."

Slowly, Beshte raised himself up and cut a path through the snowbank, approaching the pits dug by the two lions. He made for the nearest one, masking the sound of his approach with the lions' ferverent digging. Suddenly, a golden paw broke through the wall of snow in front of him, and the hippo found himself face-to-face with the young male. The lion jerked back in surprise, but before he could say anything, Beshte uttered a single word. "Kion?"

The lion blinked. "W-what?"

No, it wasn't Kion—this lion was slightly older, and his tuft was brown instead of crimson; most notably, he didn't have the famous Lion Guard sigil on his shoulder. But the resemblance was otherwise uncanny. "Sorry," Beshte whispered. "I thought you were someone I knew. Here, take them." He opened his mouth, dropping the snowflowers in front of the lion.

"Uh, thanks," muttered the gold-furred male. "Don't you need them?"

"Not urgently," Beshte assured him. "But it sounds like your friend does." He bent closer. "Hey, listen. I was told not to show myself, but you don't have to tell anyone you saw me. Deal?"

The lion glanced down at the snowflowers. "Deal. And thank you. What's your name?"

"I can't tell you, sorry," the hippo said, looking a bit sheepish. "Not until I know we're on the same side."

"But you're helping anyway?" the lion asked quizzically. "Why?"

Beshte smiled. "Because you are." And with that, he withdrew from the pit and disappeared into the snow.

•••

Siri filled her breath with cool, clean air as the rain drizzled down on the mountain range. The clear morning sky had gradually faded to a sullen grey, but she didn't mind it; rainstorms frequently found their way to Mount Tempest, which helped maintain its massive supply of clean water. But it served a different purpose now; the cocoon of the rainfall—and the way it concealed their scent—helped to put her mind at ease, just a little.

Tumaini, who was keeping pace beside her, had remained silent through most of their trek. Siri sighed, not needing to ask him what was on his mind. For the hundredth time, she wished she had done things differently.

Tumaini caught her eye and scowled. "Stop that," he said, all traces of concern replaced by mild annoyance.

"Stop what?" asked Siri.

"Blaming yourself for what happened. For finding us."

"There's no way you're completely okay with this," she said skeptically. "A part of you must wish I never found your forest, that you and Kopa could have just continued with your lives."

Tumaini said nothing for a moment. "I think a small part of me does," he admitted. "But then who's going to stop Janga from conquering all the prides?"

"Do you think that's what she's after?" Siri asked, a little disturbed by the thought.

"Why else would she be doing all this?" Tumaini pointed out. He looked troubled. "I don't get it. Mount Tempest is a fortress. How did she beat your pride in their own territory?"

"I don't know, I wasn't there," she said resignedly. "It's like she's always a few steps ahead. It scares me."

"Because she's smart?"

"Because she isn't afraid to hurt others to get what she wants. And because it looks like she's got this all planned out. I can't shake the feeling we're still being herded right into her trap."

"That's why we're here," Tumaini reassured. "Janga hasn't planned for us. She doesn't know Kopa and I are involved now."

"She will," Siri cautioned.

He shrugged. "She doesn't know who we are, or how we think. I bet we could do some real damage to her plans." He tried to sound encouraging, but his voice rang hollow.

She sighed. "You're afraid of losing him."

"Of course I am." He didn't have to ask who she meant.

"But you won't walk away? Not even to keep him safe?"

Tumaini shook his head. "He wouldn't do it, not even if I wanted him to." When Siri looked mystified, he explained, "He's got family somewhere in the Serengeti. He hasn't seen them in years and he's trying to find them."

"Right," said Siri. She frowned. "How long has he known?"

"Since last night," Tumaini said. The tightness in his voice gave her pause.

"And how long have you known?" she asked slowly.

"Since the day Tanzu found him half-dead by the river." Tumaini's expression was stormy. "Siri, I did something terrible once, and that day I lost everything. I might've never been myself again, if Kopa hadn't come along and depended on me to be better than I thought I could be. Believe me, I would never keep him away from his family unless it was to protect him."

Siri did not respond immediately, deep in thought. "I lost my parents in a flash flood," she murmured distantly, remembering the day it happened. "I was an adolescent, and one day they were gone and suddenly I was on my own. I was terrified, so I can't imagine how Kopa must have felt." She shuddered. "What if his parents miss him? What if they'd do anything to get him back?"

"They hurt him, Siri!" Tumaini protested indignantly. "They cut him up and let the Zuberi claim him. They—" He broke off, unable to describe the details.

Siri's expression softened with sympathy. "I get it," she said earnestly. "Kopa means everything to you, I can see that clear as day. But how do you know his parents were the ones who hurt him? Did Kopa ever tell you as much?"

Tumaini looked down. "He doesn't remember a thing," he mumbled. "Not since the river."

"Then he deserves to learn the truth, doesn't he?"

Tumaini didn't look up. "He does, you're right. And you were right about me too. It was just wishful thinking on my part..."

"What are you talking about?"

"He doesn't need me anymore," he said quietly. "No one needs me."

Siri looked slightly surprised at this statement. Then she understood. "Tumaini, look at me." She waited until he did so before continuing. "Even if he still has a home where he came from, there will always be a place for you in his family."

"Do you really think so?" Tumaini asked quietly.

"Well, sure," Siri said nonchalantly. "King Simba of Pride Rock was raised by a meerkat and a warthog, out in the oasis." It had become a famous story, after word spread that Scar's reign had finally ended.

Tumaini blinked. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," she laughed. "They live in the Pride Lands with him now. So you'd better not go anywhere when Kopa finds his parents."

He looked a bit more encouraged at her words. "The Pride Lands," he said thoughtfully. "I've never been there before. It's a good place to start our search, and King Simba might know who Kopa's parents are."

"Maybe," Siri mused, her gaze lingering on a tall bush as she walked past it. "I've never met him, but I heard he—" Without warning, she shot a paw into the bush and hauled out a stocky adult honey badger by the neck. "I thought so. This one's been following us for a wh—ow!" She dropped the squirming blue-grey creature, who had unfastened a wooden stave from his back and whacked her on the paw. As he landed on his hind legs, he cheekily wiggled his stubby snout at Siri.

"That's on you, you know," he told her, lowering the stave. "I was supposed to stay out of sight, but then you had to grab me like that. So now we're even for you ruining my plan."

"What plan would that be?" Tumaini asked, holding a foreleg in front of Siri as she made to get at him.

"Afraid I can't tell ya," the honey badger said nonchalantly. "That's for the Lion Guard to know and no one else to find—"

"The Lion Guard!" Siri exclaimed. "You mean King Simba sent help from the Pride Lands?"

The honey badger rubbed his head sheepishly. "Well...no. We're kind of on our own right now, but we noticed there was trouble, and we're the Lion Guard, so..."

Tumaini frowned. "Isn't a Lion Guard...?"

"Made up of lions?" the honey badger interrupted. "Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say. But we've been doing great for years, and Simba's cool with it, and—"

"I didn't even know there was an active Lion Guard in the Pride Lands," Siri interrupted, cutting off his rambling. "Maybe we do stand a chance after all. Where's your leader?"

"Not present," the honey badger said unhelpfully. "We all split up to try and figure out what's going on. I got it!" His face lit up. "If you tell me what you know, then maybe he won't be mad I got found out."

"Seems fair," Tumaini conceded. "Okay, here goes..."

•••

"How did you find so many?" Sajin asked as Kopa followed him down the mountain. Both lions were drenched and shivering, and they were eager to return to the relative warmth of the lowlands.

"I found a pile, it looked like someone was collecting them," he answered truthfully. The way down was much easier than it had been going up, but it was also more terrifying. _Don't look down,_ he reminded himself, taking care to step where Sajin was stepping as they scaled the wet, slippery incline.

"It could be a setup," the older lion muttered darkly.

"Could be," Kopa agreed. "But do you really have a choice?"

Sajin didn't respond. Kopa wondered if he suspected anything was amiss, even though he himself was certain that the hippo was a friend. Strange as it was to see one up in the mountains, Kopa was more preoccupied with the lion-shaped insignia he had spotted on the hippo's shoulder. He had a feeling it represented something important—something he should keep secret from Janga's lions. _But are they really all that bad?_

"Sajin?" Kopa said suddenly, hurrying forward so that he was next to the older lion.

Sajin turned to look at him. "Yes?"

"Can you tell me about your leader?"

"Janga?" He thought for a moment. "She's strong, unyielding. She inspires not just loyalty, but courage and purpose as well...and she never wastes the lives of those who follow her. That's why I cannot either."

"And who is it you're after?" Kopa asked slowly.

"Lions who have lived too long in the old ways," Sajin replied. "Monarchs who either tear their kingdoms apart with their personal affairs, or become complacent and do nothing at all. The Circle of Life will not remain unending with lions shaping the world as they please."

 _The Circle of Life. Why does that sound familiar?_ Kopa put the thought aside. "So what, you kill their rulers?"

"If necessary," Sajin conceded. "We're more inclined to find a peaceful resolution."

 _So why didn't you with the Tempest Pride?_ "And who's in charge then? Janga?"

Sajin actually smirked. "Oh, no. She's not interested in ruling. We have more...resilient ideas."

For some reason, the words gave Kopa a chill that even braving the mountaintops couldn't contend with. And he was very glad just then to see that they had reached the bottom of the mountain.

Taya was crouched by Kiza's side beneath the giant groundsels, her paws as bloody as the pieces of yellow moss strewn around them. She looked up when she spotted Kopa and Sajin. "I've disinfected his wounds," she told them. "But he's going into shock."

Kopa hurried over, dropping the snowflowers from his mouth. "Stand back. Hold him down, Sajin."

Sajin added his snowflowers to the pile and knelt down next to Kiza, firmly taking hold of the younger lion's shoulders. Kopa clenched one paw and crushed the leaves against the ground, popping the pods one by one as the nectar inside began to seep out. Hastily, he bunched up the snowflowers, and placing one paw on the feebly stirring Kiza, Kopa shoved the oozing plants into the injured lion's side.

Kiza writhed and screamed incoherently, but Kopa held fast. Sajin kept his grip firm until his subordinate's struggles subsided. "What did you do to him?" the older lion asked.

Kopa withdrew the snowflowers at last, tossing them aside as he beckoned for Sajin to look at Kiza's wounds. "The everlasting snowflower grows only in the cold. Its nectar is usually frozen, but when it reacts to the air..." They watched as the fluid expanded into a snow-like foam, closing off the jagged wounds. Kiza's chest heaved as his lungs filled with air, now able to inflate properly. "The foam is porous, and it disintegrates harmlessly in his bloodstream. The nectar can heal scars and even repair organ damage." Kopa smiled tiredly. "He's going to be okay, but he needs rest."

Sajin looked astounded as he bent down to check on Kiza. He let out a sigh of relief as he heard his subordinate's steady breathing. "I...I never expected...thank you." He stood and turned to face Kopa. "You've done me a great service today, young lion. I would like to repay you."

"Then the next time you're about to take a life, reconsider," Kopa told him, getting up to leave. "You place a lot of value in theirs," he indicated Taya and Kiza, "but it means nothing if you're indifferent to the rest. I was able to save Kiza's life today because somebody once saved mine. Maybe one day Kiza will need to do the same."

Sajin nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. There's just one more thing."

Kopa, who was about to continue on his way, paused. "What's that?"

"You seem like a good kid, so I'm telling you this for your own safety. Stay away from the Pride Lands, Kopa. You'll only run into trouble if you go there."

Kopa was already wondering if he had made the right choice. But all he said in response was, "Thanks for the warning." Without another word, he sprinted back into the lowlands, leaving Janga's lions behind.

 _I've gotten off-track,_ he thought feverishly. _I need to find Tumaini's trail before it disappears. We're almost out of time to beat Janga to the Pride Lands._


	9. It's Not Time to Make a Change

_How can I try to explain?_  
_When I do, he turns away again_  
_It's always been the same, same old story._  
_From the moment I could talk, I was ordered to listen_  
_Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away._  
_I know I have to go..._  
—Cat Stevens, "Father and Son"

As the darkening sky heralded evening's approach, Malka took stock of his surroundings, casting a passing glance at Fuata and Kaidi as he did so. The three of them had been navigating a maze of connected canyons all day, but despite the fading light the behemothic shape of Mount Kilimanjaro could still be seen in the distance, rising high above the rest of the mountain range. _We've almost reached the badlands,_ Malka reflected. _We'll make it there before night's end._

As they filed through the canyon, the king could hear the others muttering about him. Their disapproving looks told him everything, and the truth was Malka couldn't fault them at all. He had let everyone down, and right now he couldn't ignore the guilt forming into a cold pit in his stomach, but now was not the time for apologies. In the three days since they had gone on the run, Malka had been running over the sequence of events in his head; something about this didn't add up, he was certain of it. _Who are these lions? How did they take Mount Tempest so easily?_

_You should have done more._

Malka bit his lip, glancing furtively at the other two lions. He had run off on his own during the attack on Mount Tempest, and he hadn't gotten far into the mountain range before Fuata and Kaidi had found him. They weren't happy to see him, and if his son hadn't been their cubhood friend Malka wondered if they would have gone with him at all. _I'll make this right, somehow. I'm going to protect my pride as a king should._

 _And what kind of king abandons his pride at the first sign of trouble?_ Malka had retained little confidence in himself as a leader for as long as he could remember, but the last few years alone had taken a toll on him. His heart was heavy with thoughts of his bygone queen, and what she would think if she were with him. _I'm sorry I wasn't good for you, Kumi. You deserved better—but so does the rest of my pride. I can't let them down like I did to you. I...won't._

 _I just...wish it had been me instead. Maybe then our sons would still be here._ Malka cleared his throat, and the uncharacteristic decisiveness it held prompted the others to turn and look at him. "I know you aren't happy with me," he said tiredly. "I shouldn't have run, not while everyone else was in danger. Our lost pride members...I have to answer for their lives just the same as...whoever did this."

"That's great to hear," scoffed Kaidi, an auburn-furred female with a temper to match. "But it's a little late for remorse to be useful now."

Malka nodded in agreement. "You're right. It will take some time to rally the pride, but in the meantime we must prepare. In the meantime, I'm going to find out who these lions are, and I'm going to get our home back."

"How?" questioned Fuata, the robust chestnut male. "They were ready for us. And we haven't seen anyone else who got away since we entered the mountains. Maybe we'd have a plan if Fujo were here—"

"Except you left him to die too," Kaidi recalled scornfully. "But I guess he should have seen that one coming. Like father, like son, right?"

Malka's expression twisted in anger as he stopped and stared her in the face. "You are way out of line, Kaidi."

"No, I knew who my best friend was," she growled, undeterred. "More than you did. And if you want the respect owed a king, Malka, then you should start acting like one. So before you think about fighting back, tell me how you're going to get the rest of the pride safely to the Hollow."

Malka gazed up along the walls of the small canyon with a distant look in his eyes. "King Simba may be able to help us," he explained. "I haven't seen him since before his father's death, but he'll remember me. I'll send word to the Pride Lands as soon as—" He suddenly broke off as they rounded the bend.

The exit was completely blocked by rubble, piled too high for lions to safely climb. Kaidi stared at the barricade in disbelief. "What is this? It couldn't have been the earthquake..."

Fuata frowned. "It's still dusty," he noted. "This came down recently. Something doesn't feel right. We should find another way out, Malka...Malka?"

Malka was frozen at the sight of the rubble. His eyes followed the drifting dust particles in the air, and he whispered a single word. "Afua..."

"There will be no warning for the Pride Lands," drawled a smooth female voice behind them. "They had their chance."

Malka and his lions turned, spotting the sleek grey lioness only after she moved upon a rocky ledge in the canyon wall. She hopped down, joined quickly by the rest of her team. He recognized her as they emerged from the darkness. "Y-you were part of the attack," the king stammered, involuntarily taking a step back. "What do you want with us?"

"We only need you," the lioness corrected. "The rest of your pride will be allowed to live, if they cooperate." Those cold silver eyes gleamed as Fuata and Kaidi unsheathed their claws, teeth bared at the lions that had trapped them. "Come now, you're going to die protecting a king who cares only for his own well-being?"

"At least he hasn't tried to kill us," Fuata growled.

The lioness scoffed. "Is that the only reason you still stand beside him? You're all worse off than I thought. Like I said, the rest of your pride are free to go once we deal with him."

"And then what?" Kaidi challenged. "We all have to do as your leader says?"

"Janga is more lenient than you think," the lioness replied. "If you march into the Pride Lands with us, then you get to live. Or, and I don't bluff on this, the rest of you can join your king—starting with his brother."

Malka stepped forward, trembling as his paws were. "How dare you," he snarled, surprised at the strength with which he spoke. "You invade my kingdom, threaten and murder my lions, and now you try and force them to stand against Simba and his pride?"

"There are worse fates," the lioness replied coolly, nodding at her team to get ready. "This is your only chance to save your pride." She smirked. "It's the one thing you'll get to do right as their king."

A roar arose in Malka's throat. He leaped at the enemy leader, followed swiftly by Fuata and Kaidi. The grey-furred lioness bared her teeth in a grin as her team advanced to meet them.

Malka was halfway in the air when a deafening roar rent through the mountains with a thunder-like _boom_. All sound was drowned out as a furious wind carried both groups of lions into the air and hurled them away from one another. The king squeezed his eyes and ears shut as the roar's echo surged through the canyon; he hit the wall hard, and amidst the howling wind he could hear the rumbling, deep-rooted sound of rock breaking.

The heaving ground began to settle as the echo roar faded. Malka, coughing from the dust thrown into the air, peered through the mist at the silhouette perched high on an outcropping above. It was difficult to make out properly in the dim moonlight, but he thought the figure resembled a lion. And it could be his swimming vision, but Malka could have sworn that the clouds shrouding the moon looked like the faces of lions just a moment ago. _What in the name of the Great Kings is happening?_

Further down the canyon, the enemy lions scrambled to their paws and beat a hasty retreat. The grey-furred lioness locked eyes with Malka before turning and dashing off as well. He sat up, nearly sobbing in relief when he saw the gaping rift that separated them from their would-be killers; it was wide as twenty lions and gouged itself deep into the far canyon wall.

Fuata and Kaidi were getting to their paws, shaking their heads in disorientation. Malka stood up, padding over to them gingerly. "Are you two alright?"

"Still in one piece, though I came close to missing a head," Fuata grumbled, shaking the dust from his thin mane. "I would say I can't believe we survived, but nothing surprises me at this point. What happened?"

Malka looked back up the ridge, but the silhouette was gone. "I think...but that's impossible. How could—"

"Whatever it was, it knew what it was doing," Kaidi interjected. "So let's leave, before it decides to come back and bury us." Without waiting for a response, she turned away from the chasm and made for the exit with Fuata in tow; the blast had blown the barricade apart and scattered it out onto the open badlands, leaving the exit open.

Malka wasn't certain if the mysterious figure, whoever it was, had come to their aid. _It didn't look like it was trying to kill us,_ he thought. _Still, I don't want to stay here any longer than we already have. I think everyone's had enough for one night._ He took the lead once again, wondering how many more times he could escape death in the coming days.

•••

Up on a hidden ledge, Kion watched as the two groups of lions headed off in opposite directions. He observed the adversaries and pieced together what he knew with what the Lion Guard had told him. _It's still very confusing,_ he thought frustratedly. _But the way they deliberately trapped those lions—like they were prey—I've never seen anything like it._

Beshte was gazing down at the mess of cracked and broken rock before them, careful not to shift his enormous body too much on the ledge. "Good job, Kion," he said, ever the optimist. "You're getting really good with aiming that Roar. But...why are we just letting them go? Shouldn't we talk to them?"

Kion's expression was troubled. He ran everything over in his head, trying to make sense of it before giving up with an aggravated groan. _Face it, I have no idea what we've stumbled onto here. But we need to get answers before we jump into this._ "No," he said finally, turning to face the rest of the Guard, all present save for Bunga; his friends, who had proven time and time again that they were just as good as—if not better than—any Lion Guard of lions. "It's time for us to act. But we are going to need backup, and we'd better keep track of both sides in the meantime. Beshte, you find Bunga. Fuli, Ono, get back to following your marks. Report in if you hear anything important."

"Affirmative, Kion," Ono replied, ruffling his feathers in preparation. "And if we're compromised?"

A hint of a grin appeared on Kion's face. "Pretend you don't know who they are. They might let you go."

The egret gulped. "That's not very reassuring."

Fuli raised one spotted paw. "Question, where are we going to rendezvous?"

Kion turned away from the pass, fixing his eyes on the horizon between the mountains as if he could see straight through the dark of the night. "Something big is happening, bigger than anything we've dealt with before," he said, speaking almost to himself. _I don't know who King Malka is, and I don't know if I should have saved his life, but...I know who does._ "I need to tell my father about this. It'll only be a matter of time before what's happening here reaches his borders."

"You mean..." began Beshte.

"It's time to go home, Lion Guard," Kion told them. "I'll see you all back at Pride Rock."

•••

Fujo had devoted much time to his plans, considering every conceivable outcome and preparing contingencies in case things got out of his control. Backups upon backups, including one notion he had been right to consider. _So, Kivuli thinks Janga can draft my pride into fighting her war?_ Fujo thought with amusement. _As if I would allow it._

He was sitting by the edge of the escarpment overlooking the canyon, where he was watching everything unfold; Kivuli's team had set up the barricade and positioned themselves on the canyon's ledges, and Malka's group walked past right beneath them, straight into the trap. Fujo overheard Kivuli's proposal, which was fiercely rebuffed though Malka was likely saving his own skin. Then, when it looked like she had Malka cornered, the Lion Guard arrived, and it turned out Fujo hadn't accounted for everything after all. _So, my cowardly brother lives another day,_ he thought with some exasperation.

Even though the Lion Guard had intervened at the worst time possible, the plan was not beyond salvaging. _The Lion Guard did not take a side...how interesting. And the Roar of the Elders—that was not something I ever thought I would witness. I almost didn't believe it was real._

Fujo had only heard rumors and tales during his travels, things easily dismissed as exaggeration or fancy. _No one seems aware that the Lion Guard has returned from legend. I must find out more about them—how long they've been operating, what they can do...and how much they know._ He doubted Malka had any knowledge of the Lion Guard; the king had only been to the Pride Lands once as a cub, and from his stories Fujo knew his brother hadn't been up to anything knowledgeable.

He watched Malka's team file through the canyon, tailed closely by the Lion Guard's cheetah; she was quite stealthy for such a bright-furred creature. It would not be long before the Guard would pledge help to his pride, and Fujo intended to accept it graciously. _This could be exactly what I needed. I can easily turn this around on Janga—once she kills Malka for me._

 _For now, I still have to follow Kivuli._ Malka would surely make it to the Hollow, and Fujo was not about to reveal its location to Janga. So until he could lure his brother out into the open again, he had to make sure the rest of the Tempest Pride arrived safely as well.

One of them had to do it.

•••

"Are you sure the honey badger will deliver our message in time?" Siri asked dubiously. "He seemed a little...scatterbrained?"

"He's with the Lion Guard, he must be competent," Tumaini pointed out. "If nothing else, at least now we're not the only ones who know what's going on."

"If you want to call it that," she said dryly. "Still, it feels good to know Janga's plan is starting to come apart. I guess we still stand a chance."

He gave her an incredulous look. "Of course we stand a chance. You must have believed that, after running all that way."

Siri gave a small laugh. "That was...I don't know, just blind desperation. I decided to just keep going until they were able to catch me, but thanks to you and Kopa they never did. I couldn't have hoped for a miracle, but...I'm glad someone still believes in taking on the odds, no matter how small they may be. Makes me believe too."

"'Nothing is fair unless you make it so'," Tumaini recited. There was a faraway look in his eyes. "My mother used to tell me that. She used to be a strong lioness as well."

"So you do have family somewhere?" She watched his reaction closely.

"They don't want to see me," he said instinctively.

"Because of the terrible thing you did," she ventured.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"And I didn't want my problems to be yours, or Kopa's," Siri said firmly. "But here you are. Tumaini, whatever it is you did, whoever you were before...it's in the past. I owe you my life. Whatever you're holding onto in there, I want to help."

"It isn't something you can help with," Tumaini said with resignation. "Help protect your pride from Janga. Don't worry about me, I'll be gone once you're safe at the Hollow."

"But—" Siri bit her lip, trying to figure out the right words. "So that's it then? We won't see each other after that?"

"It's for the best." He managed a slight smile, strained as it was. "I'm glad you joined the Tempest Pride, Siri. They need more lions like you around."

She frowned. "You keep talking about my pride like you know them. What exactly is that about?"

Tumaini tried to keep his composure, but she could read him with ease now. "I...can't tell you," was all he managed to say.

"You sure are full of secrets," she said, exasperated. "You know about the Hollow, and I've never even been inside. I find that strange. Maybe you should reconsider whatever it is you're not telling me, because we're about to meet my pride."

Tumaini shook his head. "I'm not going up with you."

Siri hadn't expected this. "You're not?"

"I really need to find Kopa," Tumaini deflected with an apologetic smile. "I'm worried about him and we have to warn the Pride Lands. I'm going to show you the entrance, then leave."

Siri narrowed her eyes. "Without speaking to my king? About all this? About saving my life? Tumaini, what—" Her words were cut off as a tremendous roar echoed in the distance, louder than any lion should be capable of producing. "What was that?"

Tumaini ducked as a strong wind blew past them, surging through the badlands from the same direction the sound had emanated. He waited for it to settle before peering to see where it had come from. "It sure didn't sound good," he murmured. His eyes widened. "Wait a minute, that honey badger—he was going this way. Come on."

The two of them broke into a sprint, with Tumaini following Siri's pace to make sure she wasn't aggravating her healing injuries. A dull rumble reverberated through the badlands as the rock beneath their paws trembled. They weaved through clusters of barren hills, rock stacks, and sparsely grown trees until they could see the escarpment on the far end of the badlands.

Heading away from the canyon that divided the escarpment were a trio of lions—a male and a female led by an older black-maned lion. Siri gave a cry of relief when she recognized them; Tumaini halted immediately, and so did Fuata and Kaidi when they saw one another.

Malka rushed forward. "Siri?" he murmured in disbelief. "Oh, thank the Great Kings, you're alive! During the attack—but there was no way to tell you—I thought—"

"I saw them, Malka," Siri whispered, her face pressed against her king's. "I saw what they were doing and I overheard them. They came after me, and they almost had me..."

"You're okay now," Malka assured her, looking encouraged. "We're going to set up at the Hollow, then once we have our bearings, we can get back on our—"

Kaidi cleared her throat. The king followed her gaze and tensed.

"This just keeps getting better," Fuata grumbled, sounding both indignant and a bit astonished.

"He's one of the lions who saved my life," Siri explained. "Everyone, this is—"

"Tumaini," Malka growled. A spark appeared in his eyes, a look in his maroon eyes of intense anger. Siri had never seen him like this before.

Tumaini looked as if he wanted to be anywhere else. His usual confidence seemed to have evaporated, and it was then that Siri realized where she had seen the pain in his eyes before.

"Father," Tumaini murmured, and silence fell over them.


	10. What Remains Unsaid

_She burns like the sun, a_ _nd I can't look away,_  
_She'll burn our horizons, make no mistake._  
_And I'll hide from the world b_ _ehind a broken frame,_  
_And I'll burn forever,_ _I can't face the shame._  
—Muse, "Sunburn"

After stalking Kivuli's team late into the night, Fujo became increasingly certain that they would not give up on their mission. _This wasn't the way they came,_ he noted, staying close to them from atop the edge of the canyon. _We haven't gone far from the ambush site and she's still leading them in circles._

That meant they were looking for a way out—into the badlands. _Could they have found the Hollow's location?_ Fujo grimaced. Without a safe hideout for the Tempest Pride, they had all but lost to Janga already. And although neither of them would sabotage the plans they had meticulously pieced together, there was plenty of room—and secrecy—to contend for leverage. He anticipated that she would take every advantage she could from him, just as he was doing to her.

As the lions below reached a fork in the canyon, Kivuli made another turn back toward the badlands. Fujo eyed the gap that separated the escarpment from the long drop down. Making sure to take a few steps back, he broke into a silent dash and jumped, soaring over the chasm. He landed on the other side with practiced steadiness, kicking up a small cloud of dust as he did so. After discreetly peering down at Kivuli's team to make sure they hadn't noticed him, he turned his attention to their chosen route.

It was a long, wide arc, and even though it stretched into the shroud of the night, Fujo recognized the path. _This leads to another junction,_ he thought, sprinting across the escarpment to the route's eventual destination. _It won't be long before they make it into the badlands._

 _I have to do something about this, and fast. That's one thing Janga has on me—I work alone, she doesn't._ Fujo slowed as he reached the junction. He studied the intersecting paths, and saw that they were adjacent to the ambush site. _I could arrange an accident, make it look like they buried themselves._ But Kivuli was far too competent for that, and Janga wasn't stupid. And assuming their plan wouldn't end with her and Fujo both being brutally murdered, he still needed her cooperation. Right now, he had to admit he was at an impasse. _Maybe I overestimated my own capabilities in dealing with Janga. Maybe the pride has suffered for nothing._

 _They will have suffered for nothing, if I give up now._ Fujo steeled himself. _I must try, for whatever it is that I have left to lose._ Kivuli's team was catching up, so without delay Fujo padded over to the ridge that overlooked the ambush site, searching for anything that could give him an idea. To his surprise, he spotted a lone lion down in the canyon, inspecting the remains of the destroyed barricade.

It wasn't one of Janga's, and most certainly not from the Tempest Pride either. Fujo peered closer; the lion was a gold-furred adult male, slight but well-built, and very young from the look of his bushy umber-brown mane. _It seems Janga is drawing more attention than she thought she would. She's definitely more likely to make enemies than friends out here._

Fujo made his way to the cliff wall where the canyon met the badlands, quickly finding the rock face that had allowed him to scale the escarpment. He climbed down carefully, wishing not for the first time that he didn't have to do everything by himself. _I won't have to for much longer, if all goes well. And this outsider could be another opportunity._

It was a risk, one of many he had already taken. _But no riskier than letting my brother bring the pride to ruin, if Janga doesn't do it for him first. There's more at stake in this war than what happens to her—or to me._ _Whether this ends in success or failure, we will not be remembered kindly._ Janga hadn't come around to accepting that, and it would be her own undoing. They were both damned, if not in this life then in the next.

Fujo touched down on the ground and hurried for the ambush site. He stepped into view and stared into the canyon; the young lion looked up, scrutinizing him through the darkness. "Tumaini?" he uttered, and Fujo knew he had found the right lion.

•••

As Kopa walked closer to the black-maned lion, he was disheartened to see that it wasn't his friend; this lion was old enough to be Tumaini's father.

"I haven't heard that name in years," the stranger said quietly. "Tell me, how is it that you know my nephew?"

Kopa's eyes widened. "He's my friend," he managed, now studying the other lion much more closely. "He saved my life when I was a cub." Yes, the resemblance was definitely there—they had the same piercing maroon eyes, the slightly rugged jet-black mane.

"That's ironic," the lion muttered. Even the way he spoke sounded like Tumaini. "But he was with you?"

"A few days ago," Kopa explained. "I haven't seen him since he left the forest with Siri."

The lion gave a pleased smile. "So she is alive. I knew she would make it."

"That's right, you must be with the Tempest Pride!" Kopa realized excitedly.

"I am. My name is Fujo, prince and advisor of the Tempest Pride."

"I'm Kopa. Wait, prince? So Tumaini's father is..."

"The king, that's correct," Fujo confirmed. "I don't suppose my nephew ever told you about us."

Kopa didn't respond. His mind was flooded with not only answers but even more questions. Questions only Tumaini himself could answer. _His father is King Malka. Apparently Malka's a recluse. And Tumaini wanted to avoid his pride, but now..._ "He doesn't like to talk about it," he said finally. "But he came to help as soon as we learned what was happening."

"That's what it took for him to come home," the older lion sighed. "Well Kopa, I'm sure we both have a long story to tell, but unfortunately time is not on our side. I need your help. You're an outsider to this war, you can do things I can't be caught doing."

Kopa furrowed his brow warily. "What kind of things?"

"Let's just say I need to... _occupy_ Janga's attention," Fujo said vaguely. "Only until the rest of my pride reaches the Hollow, and the Pridelanders are ready for her. But I can't do that if she's onto me, so..." His eyes drifted over Kopa's shoulder. The younger lion followed his gaze, and spotted movement in the dark. A group of lions—how many, he couldn't tell—crossing the badlands in the distance. It was then that he noticed Fujo looking worried. "Those are my pride members," the older lion murmured. "And there are six of Janga's lions coming this way."

"We'd better do something then," Kopa suggested pointedly.

"Like I said, they can't know I'm here." Fujo was silent as he contemplated the situation. He looked from Kopa to the other lions, to the canyon, and back to Kopa again. "Listen closely. You're going to warn my pride members and accompany them out of these badlands. Talk to the one leading them, his name is Chumvi. They know the way to the Hollow."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to seek out some potential allies. I'll see you at the Hollow if all goes well."

"Okay." Kopa turned to go when Fujo spoke again.

"Wait. If you do run into Kivuli—the grey one leading Janga's lions—try roaring at her."

Kopa blinked, wondering if he had heard correctly. "Roaring?"

"As ferociously you can," Fujo affirmed with a knowing look in his eye. "Best of luck to you, Kopa. Don't tell anyone I was here." With that, Fujo hurried off into the badlands.

Kopa watched Fujo's retreating form disappear into the darkness, wondering if he should have mentioned his encounter with Sajin. _What if I did bring more bloodshed to the Tempest Pride?_ He shook his head—there was no time to dwell on it—and bound for Chumvi's group, moving to intercept them as they trotted across the badlands.

 _You can't control where your actions will lead,_ came Tumaini's voice from one of Kopa's memories. _Just do what you know is right, and take the rest as it comes. That's all anyone can ask of you._

Kopa picked up his speed as he put one paw in front of the other. Some of the lions had taken notice of him and were turning about. He veered to one side so he wasn't running straight at them; nonetheless a few of them unsheathed their claws.

"Hi," Kopa greeted as he approached. _I hope I'm coming off as sincere._ "I'm looking for Chumvi."

A stocky red-brown male stepped forward. "That's me," he said cautiously. "And you are?"

"Kopa. You all need to come with me. Janga's lions—the ones who attacked you—they've got a team not far from here, and they're heading this way."

This prompted a few raised eyebrows. "I don't know about this," one of the lions muttered.

Chumvi cocked his head, observing Kopa very closely. "Sorry, Kopa, but you'll have to give us a reason to believe you."

"I..." Kopa racked his brains, trying to think of something he could mention besides Fujo. "Siri! She stumbled into my forest and said her home had been attacked. My friend and I helped her escape the lions that came after her."

"Okay." Chumvi looked around. "And where is she?"

Kopa winced. "On her way to the Hollow right now, with my friend."

"Sounds made-up to me," snorted one of the lionesses. The others nodded in agreement, except for Chumvi. He looked as if something else was bothering him.

"And let me guess, you don't know where it is," the red-brown lion ventured. "Which is why you approached us."

"I'm telling the truth," Kopa insisted. "To be completely honest, I'm just as confused as you are about what's going on."

"You knew the enemy leader's name," interrupted another lion. "We didn't even know anything about them, but you seem very informed."

Kopa suppressed a groan. _This is going spectacularly awful._ "I know how it sounds, but I can explain everything once we're out of danger. Seriously, the lions that took your home are not going to stop until you're all dead. They already murdered many of my friends because we protected Siri. You have to believe me!"

Chumvi still looked rather distracted. "You look like..." he pondered absently. "Your eyes...but they aren't green..."

"What?" Kopa shook his head, confused. "Listen, this is not a good time to—"

Just then, a half dozen lions emerged from the canyon, led by the grey-furred lioness, Kivuli. The other lions had noticed them too, and for a moment they stared each other own.

Chumvi turned around. "I guess you were telling the truth," he admitted, sounding calm despite the tension in his demeanour.

"Let's take them," one of the lionesses grunted. The enemy lions were closing in now. "I'm tired of running anyway."

"All in agreement?" Chumvi asked quietly. The other two nodded, taking position with their fellow pride members.

Kopa stepped in front of them, so that he had a clear line of sight on the lions dashing straight for their formation. _Here goes nothing,_ he thought. He adjusted his stance, planting four paws firmly against the ground.

No sooner had he done so, one of the enemy lions did a double-take, as if he recognized Kopa; he stumbled in a hasty attempt to stop, followed quickly by a second lion. Their eyes were wide with fear. Kivuli turned, looking uncharacteristically bewildered. "What's the matter with you?" she snapped at them. "Get back in—"

Kopa let loose a tremendous roar that amplified as it echoed through the enormity of the open badlands. The remaining enemy lions lost their nerve, breaking formation and running in the opposite direction as fast as they could. Even Kivuli halted, silver eyes narrowed as she studied him suspiciously. He held her gaze, daring her to continue her advance alone. She bared her teeth in a frustrated scowl but turned tail and ran after her retreating team. They disappeared back into the canyon, and once again the night was silent.

When Kopa turned back to the other lions, they were all staring at him in disbelief. Chumvi was smiling incredulously, and shoulder-bumped Kopa with one paw. "I've never seen a fight end like that before," he laughed. "What did you do to them?"

The younger lion frowned. "I don't know. They seemed to be afraid of me...because I roared at them?" _Some of them looked like they saw it coming too. This keeps getting weirder and weirder._

"So how did you know it would work?"

"...I didn't."

Chumvi gave him a stern look. "You said you'd explain everything, kid."

"Once we get to the Hollow, yeah," Kopa asserted.

At this, the other lions exchanged resigned looks. Chumvi averted his gaze. "We're...not going to the Hollow," he said slowly.

Kopa frowned. "I don't understand."

"King Malka has abandoned us," the red-brown lion said bitterly. "Ran for his life as soon as we got attacked."

"And that's the most I've seen of him in years," muttered another lioness.

"Unless you were Siri, of course," added another lion. "Whatever that's really about..."

"Whatever problem Janga has with Malka, we won't have anything to do with it," Chumvi said, getting to the point. "He's made it abundantly clear that the lives of his lions don't matter to him. So I'm taking them to my old home, Pride Rock."

"That's where Janga's attacking next," Kopa warned.

"Then that's where we'll deal with her," Chumvi said firmly. "The queen is an old friend of mine, so I trust her and King Simba to stand up to these lions...maybe save the rest of Malka's pride for him." After a brief pause, he added, "You're welcome to join us."

"I appreciate the offer, but I have to get to the Hollow," Kopa said. "That's where my friend is waiting for me." _And he has a lot of explaining to do._

Chumvi nodded. "Then stay with us until we reach the gorge that enters the Pride Lands' borders. You'll only need to follow it the other way until you reach Mount Kilimanjaro."

"Sounds good to me," Kopa replied. But his mind was far from at ease as he followed Chumvi and the others through the badlands. No one seemed to know what Janga was up to, except Fujo, who somehow knew Kopa could scare off Kivuli's lions. _Why doesn't any of this make sense?_

•••

Siri was speechless. She looked back and forth between Tumaini and Malka, wondering how she hadn't caught the resemblance until now. Tumaini's mane was tidier and less frayed than Malka's, but otherwise it was the same shade of black. Both their expressions were a jumble of emotions, unlike the baleful glares that Fuata and Kaidi pointed at Tumaini. He didn't meet their gazes.

"What are you doing here?" Malka demanded in a low voice.

Tumaini found his voice. "Like Siri said, I saved her life," he replied, glancing in her direction; she nodded silently but said nothing. In the years she had lived at Mount Tempest, she never learned what had become of the king's family. But now everything was starting to make sense as she listened to the exchange.

"So, you thought I'd take you back?" the king sputtered.

"I don't want to come back," Tumaini snapped. "You haven't changed, clearly. I'm just trying to help."

Malka narrowed his eyes, but their fiery rage could not hide the torment underneath. "Like the last time you helped?"

Whatever he was talking about, it struck a nerve with Tumaini. "Do you think I'm proud of that?" he exclaimed bitterly. "Do you think a day goes by that I'm not reminded of what I did? But what else could I do when I found out the pride was in danger?"

"The pride you ran away from?" Malka fumed. "The one you, the eldest heir, disgraced because you couldn't face what you did. That pride?"

Tumaini was well and truly angry now. "You hypocrite! If you weren't such a coward, then I wouldn't have had to fight your battles for you, and Afua would—"

"Don't you say his name!" Malka roared, with such ferocity that even Fuata and Kaidi looked startled. Siri leaped between him and Tumaini, but the king was not abated. "You have no right to show up after all these years and pretend you were anything other than selfish, and cruel, and stupid!"

"Malka, don't," Siri protested. "He put himself in danger to protect me. His friends _died_ so I could get away."

"All you ever do is run away from your problems!" Tumaini roared at Malka. The king did not take his eyes off Siri.

"I was always afraid you'd find out the truth," he said to her. "You're the only one left who cares about me."

"You did nothing then, just like you're doing nothing now!" Tumaini continued his tirade, and Siri could see the growing tension in Malka's shoulders with every word. "Where's mom? Or Uncle Fujo?" He stopped, horrified. "You—you left them behind, didn't you? I...I can't believe you..." His face tightened in anger.

The guilt in Malka's expression deepened. "I didn't see Fujo when...but, your mother..."

That was when Siri realized it. _He doesn't know._ She turned to Tumaini, frantically shaking her head at him, but he took no notice of her.

"Do you even care about anyone besides yourself?" he hissed. He approached his father slowly. "I don't know why Janga is doing this, and I don't care...but you—did you even hesitate before you ran off to save your own skin?"

Kaidi growled warningly. "Shut up, Tumaini," she snapped.

Tumaini looked to her and Fuata. "I let you guys down, and it shouldn't have taken me this long to say this," he said wearily. "I'm sorry, for everything. But this is between me and my sorry excuse for a—"

Malka was a blur, and in the blink of an eye, he had Tumaini pinned by the neck against the ground. "You have no idea what you're talking about," he snarled.

Siri rushed forward. "Malka, stop!" She tried to pull the king off Tumaini, but the larger lion would not budge.

Tumaini managed a strained smile, even as he struggled to breathe. "Just like old times, huh? If only mom were here to kick your ass, but she's not because—"

"Because she's already dead!" Malka shouted in his face. "After you killed your brother in the gorge and ran off, your mother threw herself from the highest lookout post in Mount Tempest!"

Siri froze, her paws still on Malka's shoulder as the words sank in. _Tumaini...killed his brother? When he was a kid?_ She looked him in the face, trying to discern the lion Malka described as selfish and cruel. But all she could see in his demeanour was a hopeless agony she knew too well.

Malka's composure was also failing, and he lowered his head and wept. Fuata and Kaidi, who were standing ruefully off to the side, made to move forward. Siri gave them a discreet shake of the head. The two of them remained where they stood.

Tumaini hadn't moved from where he lay, his features still riddled with shock. "I...I didn't know..."

"You should've come back," the king choked, releasing his son. "Your uncle dug through the gorge for two days and never found him. He searched for you but came back alone. I—I thought I lost everyone. Even my own brother won't look at me anymore."

Malka backed up, sniffing with shaky breaths. Siri offered a paw to Tumaini, who hadn't moved from where he sat on the ground. He just stared blankly into the distance. "I just wanted you—all of you—to be happy. That's why I didn't come back."

The king took him by the shoulders, but this time without ferocity. "Tumaini," he said solemnly. "You're still my son. I'm sorry, for so many things. And what I said earlier—"

"I know," Tumaini said placatingly, standing up. "But all of it is the truth, and I can't hide from it anymore. And what right do I have to be here, really?"

He was startled when Malka grabbed him in a close hug. "Don't go," the king pleaded. "You saved Siri's life. That's good enough for me, son."

"Not just me," Tumaini said firmly, snapping out of his dejection instantly. "Kopa—my friend—he's still out here alone somewhere. We have to find him."

"And you can trust this Kopa?" Malka asked, though not maliciously.

"With my life," his son responded without hesitation.

"And mine, I already have," affirmed Siri. "We wouldn't have gotten away without him."

Everyone turned at the sound of a distant roar. It rumbled through the badlands as the echoes bounced around before fading again. "What is it now?" grumbled Fuata.

Tumaini straightened in recognition. "That's Kopa," he muttered. "It sounds like he's in trouble."

"Then let's find him, and quickly," the king said. "You both have a lot to tell me when this is over."

Tumaini nodded but said nothing. Siri's gaze followed him as they continued their trek through the badlands. She wondered what was on his mind, and what else he wasn't telling her. _He and Malka are not okay yet, not even close. But if we can survive this...maybe they still have a chance._

And if there was still hope for Malka, then maybe there was still hope for the pride.


	11. Blood of the Wicked King

_Loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA_  
_Quarter piece, got war and peace inside my DNA_  
_I got power, poison, pain and joy inside my DNA_  
_I got hustle though, ambition, flow, inside my DNA_  
—Kendrick Lamar, "DNA"

Even after years away from the Pride Lands, Janga still hated the sight of the gorge. She sat at the bottom of the opening, where the cliffs rose up prominently against the Back Lands. The seven lions she gathered were standing out of sight as instructed, spread out into the gorge behind her. Janga, scanning the nearby woodland intently, was trying not to let the scenery distract her. Despite the dark, the landscape was beginning to look familiar, though in her earliest memories Janga had never seen it so full of life. She recalled the stories her mother used to tell her about what the Pride Lands had been like before she was born. _I wish you could have seen it,_ her mother would say wistfully. _We've failed to protect the land, and now we must suffer for it._

And so they had. But now, seeing the land healthy and thriving again only strengthened Janga's resolve. _Scar brought ruin to the Pride Lands for all those years, and no one did anything. How quickly we forget our mistakes and take what we have for granted, falling back into the same habits that led to all this._ If the Pride Lands could be destroyed once, then by damnation Janga would make sure it never happened again.

Kivuli finally emerged from the woods, prowling toward the gorge with a wraith-like silence. Janga's lions spotted their comrades and formed up without breaking the silence that hung across the night. Janga was satisfied to see that Kivuli's team was still at full strength; they looked drained and unhappy, but did not appear to be seriously injured. Even so, Janga scowled at her approaching friend. "You're late," she admonished.

"It's been a long night," Kivuli said testily. She raised an eyebrow upon taking a closer look at their surroundings. "I didn't think you'd want to meet here, of all places."

"It keeps us out of sight, that's what's important," Janga said shortly. "Now let's get going. Even if Jeraha misses the rally point, we can take Pride Rock with fourteen lions."

Kivuli flipped a tuft of night-grey fur out of her eyes with a turn of her head. "I hate to disagree, boss, but no, we can't. My team passed by the Outlanders' camp on our way here...they abandoned it not long ago. The trails have mostly disappeared, but it looks like they were headed for the Pride Lands."

Janga's mouth tightened. She turned to stare into the seemingly endless gorge, seized by an old flicker of rage in her heart. "So after all this time...after everything Scar put us through..."

"Their numbers will have doubled from what we expected," Kivuli continued. "We'll have to wait until the Tempest Pride is dealt with, and once Jeraha and the others join us—"

"No," growled Janga. "We attack now. Simba has crossed a line, and if he's got Zira's lot under his protection, then he can die with them as well."

"That's not all...Malka got away. My guess is he's holed up somewhere in the mountains now."

Janga pondered this for a moment. "I'm not concerned with him right now," she decided. "Pride Rock is the priority. Did you find Fujo?"

"There was no sign of him. But when my team was closing in on Malka, we were stopped by something...mythical."

Janga frowned. "Mythical?"

"I saw a lion, standing above us on the mountains. Its roar was strong enough to split the ground beneath our paws."

Janga turned to the rest of the team. They were all nodding fervently, and Kivuli's expression was dead serious. "Alright," Janga said slowly, at a loss for once. "I will find answers once we've completed our mission. But dawn is approaching, we must move quickly. I'm taking my team through the gorge. Kivuli, your team will cut through the Back Lands. Stay out of sight, kill only when absolutely necessary, and remember—no one lays a paw on my mother."

"I'll be vigilant," her friend reassured. "I take it the Outlanders are fair game, effective immediately?"

"Do as you please with them," Janga said coldly. "And if you see Zira or her kin—if I haven't found them first—you make them suffer."

Kivuli raised an eyebrow. "What about you? I wouldn't want you to miss out on our long-awaited payback."

"Revenge is not my priority," Janga growled. "I'm going to get answers from Simba first. Then if he doesn't step down...I'll kill him myself."

"Fine by me." Kivuli smirked. "And how do you imagine Nala will forgive you? Or Sarabi?"

Janga's expression was hard, but underneath she could feel her resolve being dashed away. She fought it back, and when she spoke her voice was steady. "They won't," she said firmly. "But that will be my burden to bear. Good luck, Kivuli."

Kivuli nodded, and turned back to her team. As she led them away and vanished into the silent woodland, Janga growled at her lions to move out. Pride Rock was waiting for her on the other end of the gorge, and she would make sure Simba's kingdom never saw another sunrise.

•••

As the stars began to fade from the night sky, Kopa spotted the gorge in the distance, and far beyond it stood a colossal shadowed form; it was barely visible against the trace of light creeping into the horizon. _Wait a minute, I've seen this place before. I've...been here before._ He slowed to a stop, transfixed upon the faint silhouette. The answers he needed were not far now, he could feel it.

" _...you were never supposed to be born..."_

Kopa flinched as the voice echoed in his mind. His paw shot involuntarily to the scars on his side.

Chumvi turned, beckoning for the others to stop. "Kopa, are you injured? Why didn't you s—" The red-brown lion stopped, peering more closely around Kopa's paw. "What is that?" He reached for the paw.

Kopa quickly stepped away. "It's nothing," he said. "I'm fine."

Chumvi was not convinced. "You look like you just saw a ghost. Now come on, let me see."

"It's...I'm..." Kopa trailed off as the older lion pried his paw away. Neither of them said anything for a moment.

"Who did this to you?" Chumvi asked quietly. He did not take his eyes off the scars.

"I can't remember," Kopa responded in a small voice. "When I was a cub...after she tossed me into the river..."

"'She'?"

"I don't know who she is. She had these terrifying red eyes, the maddest red eyes you can imagine, like they're always watching you. I think she was from that place." He looked pointedly past the gorge.

Chumvi followed Kopa's gaze. "That's...Pride Rock."

Kopa felt his heart racing, and strangely enough he couldn't figure out why. "It is?"

"This river," the older lion said slowly. "It wouldn't happen to be the Zuberi River? _That_ Zuberi River?" He indicated the long strip of water, winding in the distance until it intersected with the gorge's waterfall.

"If that is the Zuberi River, the same one that runs through the forest where I lived..."

Chumvi narrowed his eyes. "Zira," he hissed. Kopa had never heard a name spoken with such rancor. Yet as soon as he heard it, another memory struggled to surface from his mind.

" _...never far...my protection."_

This female voice was different; it was gentle, reassuring. Kopa strained to recall an image, a face, anything he could connect to the words. "I've heard that name," he muttered. "But I can't...remember..."

Chumvi straightened so that he was face-to-face with the younger lion. "Kopa, I wasn't in the Pride Lands when you were born. But if this was your home, then you need to know this. No matter who your parents were, or what really happened to you...you are not unworthy."

Kopa's eyes were downcast. "How do you know?" he mumbled.

"Because I know the lioness who did that to you. I've been used by Zira when I lived in the Pride Lands. She once made me feel... _worthless_."

"I don't understand..."

Chumvi sighed, gesturing for them to continue their trek. His mahogany eyes were sympathetic, but Kopa could see a great deal of pain there as well. "You were probably born during King Simba's reign, so you might not have been told about his predecessor—Scar." The contempt seeped back into his voice, as if the name itself was poison. "You see, Scar became king following the tragic death of his brother, and like any king he wanted to continue his lineage. But at his age it was difficult, and his numerous attempts to father an heir—he wanted only a male heir—were unsuccessful. He conceived many cubs with the lionesses, but most were sickly and did not live long. And when my sister Sukari was old enough, he—he chose her." His voice trembled. "She died in labour. The cub was stillborn."

"Oh, I...I'm sorry," Kopa murmured.

Chumvi took deep breaths until he regained his composure. But the dull rage never left his voice. "I think he went after her because she looked so much like him—green eyes and brown fur. Scar was a narcissist, but he knew when to give up. He finally had a son with another young lioness, Zira, but the child was once again too frail and Scar disowned him. But Zira was loyal, and if she wanted to be on the throne with Scar, then she was willing to do whatever it took to secure it." He scoffed humourlessly. "So at her suggestion, Scar decreed that all the strongest males would take turns with her until he had his heir. I was the second oldest, and at the time my heart already belonged to a lioness. He didn't care."

Kopa stared at Chumvi, his crimson eyes wide with horror. _I never thought being part of a pride could also mean giving up your freedom. How could anyone be allowed to rule if they make everyone else miserable?_

"My friend Tojo was the oldest male at the time," Chumvi continued. "He conceived a daughter with Zira. Scar was angry, but Zira decided she would make use of her daughter. Nonetheless, Tojo had to leave before Scar decided to set the hyenas on him...and so it was my turn. I wasn't proud of it, but I was young and naïve and thought if I did what he wanted, I could go back to my own life with Kula." His expression darkened. "But Scar hoped I could accomplish with Zira what he couldn't with my sister...give him his 'host of little Scars', as he so eloquently put it..." He shuddered. "The truth is...I couldn't take it. I ran, and although I'm not proud of that either, I still wish I had just done that to begin with. Who knows what kind of monster I helped Zira give life to..."

"And what about your lioness, Kula?" Kopa asked. "Did you take her with you?"

Chumvi shook his head sadly. "She was pregnant and refused to go. She was probably right, we might not have made it if she ventured into the wasteland carrying a cub. But I despised myself, and all I could think about was putting it behind me. So I left her with our unborn child, and, well...you can see why I never came back."

"Until now," Kopa reminded him.

"Until now," the older lion conceded. "Even if Kula never forgives me, she and the rest of the Pridelanders are in danger. I have to warn them."

"It sounds like you have a lot in common with my friend," said Kopa. "He came back to help his pride when they needed it."

Chumvi frowned. "You're talking about this pride? But I've only seen one lion leave, so your friend is..."

"Tumaini," Kopa finished. "He didn't want to tell me much, but I get the impression he did something, or knows something bad."

Chumvi was quiet for a moment. "Tumaini was a cub when I joined the pride," he said. "Malka and Kumi were young—not much younger than I was when I became a father—but I don't think they were ready. And when they had Afua...well, he was a nice kid, but sooner or later you see that not everyone is meant to be a parent." There was a weary look in the red-brown lion's eyes. "I never got to see my own cub grow up, you see... I hoped it would be different with Afua."

"What happened?" There was something familiar-sounding about the name, but Kopa wasn't entirely sure what. He put the thought aside.

"You'll have to ask Tumaini yourself, when you see him. Coward or not, Malka had the entire pride sworn to secrecy and I intend to keep my word. It's not right you hear it from me anyway."

They had reached the gorge at last, and dawn had yet to break. Kopa looked down the length of the opening as it snaked across the land, pointing at the distant Pride Rock. The cliff walls were strewn with smooth, horizontal striations, although the rock face was also visibly cracked and missing chunks in many places.

"Any of this look familiar?" Chumvi asked, stopping beside Kopa. The younger lion shook his head, frowning. "It'll come back to you. It looks like the earthquake made quite a mess down there. Though when the wet season comes, the Zuberi will flood the entire gorge and sweep them off..."

" _...show you what happens...befriend a traitor..."_

_A flash of lightning revealed a lioness' rain-soaked form—Zira—holding him by the throat. His vision was blurred with disorientation, but he saw a lioness cub standing not far off. Her stricken expression was illuminated by the lightning reflected in her bright blue eyes. He tried, one last time, to reach for her—and then he was falling. The water came up to meet him..._

Kopa gasped in shock as the memory snapped him back to reality. He was breathing heavily, and the others peered at him uncertainly.

"There you go, you're starting to remember," said Chumvi. He paused. "You could still come with us, you know. You're so close to home now."

 _Home._ The thought tugged at Kopa's heart, and he found himself unable to take his eyes off Pride Rock. His parents were there, most likely, and he would finally find out what his life had been like before he was found by the lion who saved his life.

Kopa turned away. "Tumaini still needs me," he said quietly. "I have to get to the Hollow."

Chumvi sighed. "You've got determination, kid, I'll give you that. Definitely a better friend than I could have been. Okay, all you have to do is follow the gorge the other way until you reach the waterfall where it meets the Zuberi River. Follow the current and it'll bring you to Mount Kilimanjaro. Then, to find the entrance—"

"Shh," whispered Kopa, craning his neck to focus on something in the dry bed below. "I see movement."

Chumvi stopped talking, and he peered down into the gorge with the others. "Eight of them," he murmured, signalling everyone to withdraw. "The lioness in the front, that was definitely the one who attacked us at Mount Tempest." He nudged Kopa on the shoulder. "What did you say her name was?"

"Janga," Kopa said quietly. "They're headed for the Pride Lands, that's what Siri said. We have to do something."

The older lion frowned as he deliberated something. "Janga... _Janga_...it can't be...no, I must be remembering it wrong..."

Kopa had no idea what Chumvi was talking about, but Janga's team was rapidly approaching; at their speed, it would not take them long to reach the Pride Lands. _Come on, think of something. What if we beat them to the Pride Lands? No, that won't give them enough time. We could head them off, but we're outnumbered. Not to mention they're all the way down there._

Then it occurred to him. It was risky, but it would definitely draw Janga's attention. Kopa padded over to a bend in the cliff edge, raising himself to his full height and facing the enemy lions below. If they saw him, they didn't slow down. _If this worked once..._

Chumvi had snapped out of his reverie and noticed that Kopa standing by the cliff edge. "Hey, what are you doing?" Then he saw the younger lion's stance, and his eyes widened in realization. "Kopa, don't!"

An earsplitting roar erupted from Kopa's maw, blasting against the opposite wall with considerable force. Every lion atop and within the gorge froze as the air trembled and filled with noise. Chumvi pulled the younger lion back and away from the edge as the cliff walls began to break apart in earnest. The others sprawled themselves flat against the ground as it continued to rumble. Dust rose up and filled the sky, coupled with the sound of rocks smashing into the dry bed below. Finally, the ruckus came to a stop with an eerily gentle clatter.

Kopa clambered away as fast as he could with the others, coughing from the dust hanging in the air and trying to keep low to the ground. He felt himself bump into someone, and looked up to see Chumvi. "That was very reckless," the red-brown lion gasped amidst his coughing fit. "We could have been dragged down there with them."

"I didn't mean to do that," Kopa choked, blinking dust out of his eyes as they hurried on. "I just wanted to scare them off."

"Well, it's done now," Chumvi sputtered. "I would say I'm sorry it didn't work, but I'd be lying." They stumbled out into the clean air, where the other lions sat, coughing vigorously. "This changes everything. We'd better head for the Hollow."

"What about warning the Pridelanders?" Kopa asked, sitting against an uprooted slab of land to catch his breath. He stared blankly at the ground, numb with the cold realization of what he had done.

Chumvi toppled over next to him. "There's no way we can make it through all this dust in the air, not for a couple days at least. Besides, I'd say this commotion makes for a pretty good warning. The Pridelanders will come investigating soon enough, but I'm betting Janga's lions will get here first. Let's make ourselves scarce, then make a trip to Pride Rock once we're properly prepared. We have some time to get our bearings, since, well..."

Kopa couldn't take his eyes off the devastated ruins of the gorge that was now partially buried by rocks. He had never killed another lion in his life, and in one fell swoop, eight of them were gone now because of him. What scared him was how easily it happened—gone, just like that. _Is it over? Are they going to give up? What will I have to do if they don't?_

He recalled Kiza, the young lion whose life he had saved. _Was it worth it? What did I really accomplish in the end?_ Blearily, he wondered who Janga was, and what drove her to do what she did. Most of all, he wondered if he had done the right thing, intentionally or not. _Don't ever be quick to take a life, Tumaini used to say, because when you take a life you also squander all the good they could have done. But has Janga ever done good in her life? Would she have ever again, if I hadn't stopped her?_

A familiar-shaped shadow fell over Kopa, and he looked up without thinking. He gasped, jumping straight to his paws when he saw who it was. "Tumaini!"

Tumaini looked far more exhausted than Kopa had ever seen him, but his friend was still able to manage a tired smile. "Hey, kid," he said. "I knew you'd make it."

"Well, sure," Kopa responded impertinently. "I didn't have you to slow me down."

Tumaini laughed, but trailed off when he noticed Chumvi and the others staring at him. "Oh, um, hey guys...long time no see..."

Kopa's attention was drawn to the other newcomers—most notably, the black-maned lion standing next to Siri. Kopa gave her a quick smile which she returned, before he bowed his head to the king. "Your Highness."

The lion looked rather uncomfortable at this. "No need for that," he insisted. "You must be Kopa. Just...call me Malka. Please, allow me to thank you for protecting Siri against these...invaders."

Kopa glanced back at the gorge, feeling a bit ill from the guilt eating at his conscience. Tumaini did not miss it. "What did you do, Kopa? If we spotted the dust cloud, you can bet Janga will too."

"She's dead," Kopa whispered. It finally struck him as he said the words. "I buried her and seven of her lions in the rockslide."

Tumaini mouth fell open. "You did what? No..."

"They got what they deserved," Chumvi said gruffly. "Siri, how many of ours did they kill at Mount Tempest?"

"Seven," Siri intoned, her voice dull. She sounded just as shocked as Tumaini.

"Then we paid it back to them, plus their leader," the red-brown lion snorted. "If you ask me, we can all sleep a little easier now."

 _I'm not so sure about that,_ Kopa thought, noticing the melancholy look that passed between Tumaini and Malka; he had never seen his friend so haunted in his entire life. He could feel an awful tightness constricting in his chest as Tumaini sat down and shook his head despairingly. "Oh, Kopa. Why did you do it?"

Kopa didn't know what it was that compelled him to say it. But he simply responded, "Because it had to be done."

"Do you remember anything I've taught you?" Tumaini exclaimed angrily. "This is exactly what I didn't want you to be!"

"We don't live in that world anymore, Tumaini," Kopa snapped back. "And we're long past being able to go back to the way it was before." He lowered his head, feeling overwhelmed as the events of the last few days began to catch up to him. "For what it's worth, I didn't mean to do it. But you know what, I don't regret it either. I tried to save every life I could, even when I didn't know what I was doing, and none of it made a difference until...until I..."

"He's right, son," Malka said wearily. "It's unfortunate, but these lions were dangerous and they've been stopped. Kopa has saved us a lot of unnecessary bloodshed."

"Now what?" Siri asked quietly.

"Now we head for the Hollow. If the enemy leader is dead, the rest of our pride should be able to make it without too much trouble. Hopefully they'll have some information we can also give to the Pridelanders, when they come asking questions."

 _I'll have some of my own,_ thought Kopa, his gaze lingering where the dust had swallowed up Pride Rock's silhouette. Like Chumvi said, they would get there when they were ready. But the Pridelanders were no longer in any immediate danger, and eager as he was to get there, he knew that the Tempest Pride still needed all the help they could get. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted the way Tumaini kept his distance from Malka as the king led the others away, and wondered if he could hope for his family to have fared better. _Chumvi said I was born after Scar's reign ended. So why did Zira want to kill me? There's still so much that doesn't make sense..._

" _You are never far from my sight or my protection..."_

Kopa finally tore his gaze away, falling in with Siri as they left the gorge behind. "...I can see everything that moves on the plain," he murmured to himself.

This time, every word came to him without falter. The memory had yet to rematerialize from the confines of his mind, but Kopa was certain there was something important about the lioness who spoke the words to him—and he had a feeling she wasn't very far at all.


	12. Epilogue

_Oh, the sound of the wind through my heart makes me glad_  
_For all the ones that never knew my name._  
_Oh, the sound of a lover's sympathy,_  
_I had to go, could not stay here,_  
_They were always out of reach from me._  
—Jann Arden, "The Sound Of"

The sun had broken over the horizon by the time Simba arrived at the gorge, accompanied by the lions he had chosen. He had been awakened just before dawn by a faint rumbling beneath the ground. The dust clouds were visible all the way from Pride Rock, but they were far too large to be caused by a stampede. That was when Zazu appeared to inform him that there had been a rockslide.

Now the majordomo was flying over the enormous dust clouds as Simba inspected the devastation before him. The rocks that had fallen from the cliffs were stacked upon each other as far as he could see, which was not very far with all the dust that hung above the buried remains of the dry bed. The walls were badly cracked and in some places had given way completely, leaving various arched-backed slopes along the cliff edge.

Zazu swooped down, flapping his wings in a blur of blue as he hovered in front of Simba. "Pawprints, sire, on the other side of the gorge. They're most definitely lions."

Simba exchanged a grim look with Nala before nodding to his majordomo. "Show me."

Zazu soared down the length of the gorge; eight sets of paws followed him along the cliff edge. The hornbill stopped above a bend in the chasm. "It's a little hard to see with all the dust, but look here. Some of it was lost in the rockslide, but here where the land rises up—there are pawprints that belong to several lions. I'm not sure how many exactly, but...this does look like where the rockslide started."

"I agree," said Simba, examining the rubble below the collapsed cliff wall before them. "Well done, Zazu. See if you can find where the tracks lead."

"Of course, sire." Zazu whizzed off, scanning the land meticulously.

Simba cleared his throat, and the other lions turned to look at him. "Let's split up into groups of four. Kula?"

A brown-furred lioness stepped forward. "Say the word, Simba."

"Scout for clues on this side of the gorge," the king told her. "If there's any sign that someone was caught in the rockslide, then see what you find. Take Mateka with you, in case...in case you do find someone."

Kula nodded. "Right. Boga, Babu, you heard the king. Do what you do best."

Babu, the red-brown male, took the lead, followed by his brown-furred sister Boga. Kula hurried after them with Mateka by her side. Simba turned back to the gorge, making sure not to step too close to the edge. Beside him, Nala and Sarabi peered closely at the broken remains of the cliff walls.

"It couldn't have been another earthquake..." Nala muttered, testing the ground beneath her with one paw.

"The surrounding land has remained unchanged, so no," Sarabi observed. "It's possible that the rocks fell apart after the earthquake weakened the gorge. But if Zazu found lion pawprints, then it's possible that they fell in, or..."

"Or they buried someone else in the rockslide," Nala finished. She looked disturbed at the thought.

Simba turned to the other male in the group, a black-maned young lion who was also gazing into the chasm. "What do you think, Afua?"

Afua frowned. "There's still too much dust in the air," he responded. "We'd have to go down there to see if there are any...survivors."

When the king spoke again, his voice was gentle. "You don't have to go down there if you don't want to. Someone should stay here and wait for Zazu or Kula to return."

The young lion looked visibly relieved. "Thank you, Simba."

Simba stopped before a collapsed section in the gorge wall, eyeing the huge chunks of rock stacked in a crude downward slope. "We can't stay down there for long, the air is barely breathable," he told Nala and Sarabi. "Let's spread out and be quick. And watch your step, some of these rocks could still be loose."

Careful not to disturb the precarious rubble beneath their paws, the three lions proceeded cautiously into the hazy depths of the gorge, taking shallow breaths as the dust became thicker. Sarabi split off toward one pile of rubble, while Nala climbed atop another. Simba felt his paw brush against something soft and looked down. His breath caught in his throat.

A dead lion lay half-buried in the debris, badly mangled with several limbs bent in unnatural angles. His glassy eyes were coated in dust, and his expression was frozen in terror. Simba took a step back, trying to see if anything else was in the rubble. "It's a lion," he croaked. "What happened here?"

Nala flipped aside some rocks to reveal another carcass, grimacing. "This one definitely didn't fall. He couldn't have ended up on this side of the gorge even if he jumped."

Simba had a very bad feeling at his mate's words. Like whatever had occurred here was the beginning of something ominous. "We should get out of here," he said. "Mom? Did you find anything?"

Sarabi was examining a small opening in the rubble before her. "There's blood on these rocks," she murmured. "It's definitely lion."

"So there was a survivor?" Simba asked cautiously.

"Looks like it." Sarabi's eyes swept the surrounding rocks, catching the droplets of blood that led further into the gorge. She picked up a few locks of blood-smeared fur and sniffed them.

Suddenly, Zazu swooped down out of the mist, throwing the dust around him into a frenzy. "Simba! Nala! You must—" The hornbill coughed frantically. "—come see this—" He continued coughing. "—my word, the air is _unbreathable_ —" He flapped upward, throwing a faceful of dust at Simba and Nala in the process. "—oh dear, forgive me—it's Kion! He's returned!"

"Kion," gasped Simba, and immediately regretted it as his mouth filled with dust. The three of them hastened back to the collapsed cliff wall and clambered out onto the gorge.

Sure enough, there stood Kion atop the cliff edge, with Bunga and Beshte standing on either side of him. The Lion Guard's young leader, who was speaking with Afua, saw his parents and hurried over. The smile on his face was strained, but nonetheless he embraced Simba and Nala warmly. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, dad," he began, but Simba stopped him.

"Hey, I should have listened more," the king said earnestly. "And you were right about the Outlanders, so... _hakuna matata_."

Kion gave his mother a quick grin. "Did he just admit he was wrong about something?"

"That's as close to it as you're going to get," Nala replied with a sidelong wink at Simba. She regarded her son more closely. "You're looking thin, Kion..."

"Mom," Kion groaned. "Not the time. There's trouble outside the Pride Lands, and I don't know what's going on. Fuli and Ono are still investigating the lions we've been watching."

"Investigating lions?" his father repeated. "What kind of lions? Were they part of a pride?"

"Bunga told me he talked to two of them," Kion said, rolling his eyes exasperatedly at the honey badger. "They said King Malka of the Tempest Pride needs your help. Apparently he knows you and mom."

There was a faraway look in Simba's eyes. "He did, when we were still cubs," he murmured. "When I became king, I sent several envoys into the mountains to locate his pride. I hoped to form an alliance with him, but when they returned they all told me the same thing—they couldn't find him. I never knew if Malka's pride had left the mountains, if they were no more...or if they were in hiding."

"If they were, then I think these other lions found them," Kion said. He glanced at Afua, who sat off to the side, facing away from them. "You okay, Afua?"

Afua looked back over his shoulder, his expression impartial. "Hm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," he said tersely. He quickly turned away again.

Nala gave him a quizzical glance but turned her attention back to Kion. "Who are these other lions?"

"I have no idea," Kion admitted. "They're really secretive, and they're efficient, and if what Bunga tells me is true, they're headed for the Pride Lands."

Simba felt a cold pit form in his stomach. He wasn't sure if he was ready to face another war so soon. "And you're certain their intentions are hostile, son?"

"Pretty certain. I had to use the Roar to stop them from killing King Malka. Bunga, what was the leader's name again?"

"Janja," Bunga supplied cheerfully.

Beshte shook his head. "I don't think that's right, Little B. Janja's the hyena who lives in the Outlands, remember?"

Just then, Ono swooped in, ruffling his feathers as he landed next to the hippo. "Hey, everyone. Sorry, Kion, I lost them after they entered the woods. I picked up their trail again near the gorge, and it looked like some of them headed back while the rest of them came this way."

Kion gazed into the hazy depths of the demolished gorge before them, looking stunned as he took it all in. " _Hevi kabisa_ ," he breathed. "Were they the ones that did this?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Ono shrugged. "I did overhear one of them mention the leader before they got away though. His name is Janga."

"Her," Sarabi corrected quietly. She stared numbly at the strands of fur held in her paw.

Everyone turned to look at her. "What?" Simba blinked, noticing Nala's averted gaze in contrast to everyone else's confusion. From her expression, he already knew he wasn't going to like it.

"I know who made it out of the rockslide," Sarabi confessed. As she wiped the blood off the fur, Simba saw that they were pitch black.

Nala's eyes also lingered on the dark, bloodstained locks. "I don't believe it...she's alive. She survived out there."

"She always does," murmured Sarabi. "I have to find her."

Simba looked from his mother to Nala, perplexed at their behaviour. "Who, Janga? Who is she? How do you know her? You never told me ab—" He stopped as he recognized the look in Sarabi's eyes. He had seen that look once; the pure, desperate joy that filled her being the day he had returned to Pride Rock. The day that she discovered he was alive.

"You never knew Janga, son, because she was born during Scar's reign," Sarabi told him. Her voice was resigned but steadfast. "He never loved her as a daughter, but she was mine, just as you are." She raised her eyes at last to meet his shocked gaze. "Simba...she's your sister."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character Names - Original  
> • [Fuata](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/514204): "Follow"  
> • [Fujo](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/513049): "Aggressive"  
> • Husuda: "Envy"  
> • [Janga](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/513012): "Disaster"  
> • [Jeraha](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/513063): "Wound"  
> • Jioni: "Dusk"  
> • [Kaidi](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/513301): "Stubborn"  
> • Kasi: "Speed"  
> • [Kivuli](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/513060): "Shadow"  
> • [Kiza](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/513105): "Darkness"  
> • [Kumi](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/513146): "Ten"  
> • [Kupinga](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/513113): "Protest"  
> • [Madai](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/513119): "Accusation"  
> • Masao: "Vestige"  
> • [Mateka](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/513034): "Prisoner"  
> • [Sajin](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/513104): "Sergeant"  
> • Saka: "Chase"  
> • Sauti: "Sound"  
> • [Siri](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/513002): "Secret"  
> • Sukari: "Sugar"  
> • Tanzu: "Branch"  
> • [Taya](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/513108): "Jaws"  
> • [Tumaini](https://www.notebook.ai/plan/characters/512992): "Hope"  
> • Wivu: "Jealousy"  
> • Zuberi: "Strong"
> 
> Character Names - Canon  
> • [Afua](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Afua): "Forgiveness" (alt. "Mercy")  
> • [Babu](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Babu%20\(lion\)): "Grandfather"  
> • [Beshte](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Beshte): "Friend"  
> • [Boga](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Boga): "Pumpkin"  
> • [Bunga](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Bunga): "Fool"  
> • [Chumvi](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Chumvi): "Salt"  
> • [Fuli](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Fuli): "Very fast"  
> • [Janja](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Janja): "Crafty"  
> • [Jasiri](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Jasiri): "Dare"  
> • [Kiara](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Kiara): "Clarity" (Latin)  
> • [Kion](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Kion): "Young warrior" (alt. "Leader")  
> • [Kopa](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Kopa): "Ace of hearts" (alt. "Borrowed")  
> • [Kovu](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Kovu): "Scar"  
> • [Kula](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Kula%20\(lion\)): "Eat"  
> • [Malka](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Malka): "Queen"  
> • [Mapigano](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Mapigano): "Fight"  
> • [Ma Tembo](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Ma%20Tembo): "Mother elephant"  
> • [Muhimu](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Muhimu): "Important"  
> • [Nala](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Nala): "Gift"  
> • [Ono](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Ono): "Passion"  
> • [Rafiki](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Rafiki): "Friend"  
> • [Sarabi](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Sarabi): "Mirage"  
> • [Simba](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Simba): "Lion"  
> • [Taka](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Scar): "Waste"  
> • [Tama](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Tama): "Conclusion"  
> • [Tiifu](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Tiifu): "Obedient"  
> • [Tojo](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Tojo): "Tattoo"  
> • [Twiga](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Twiga): "Giraffe"  
> • [Vitani](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Vitani): "I am war" (alt. "Ducks")  
> • [Zazu](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Zazu): "Movement"  
> • [Zira](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Zira): "Hate"  
> • [Zuri](http://lionking.wikia.com/wiki/Zuri): "Good"


End file.
